The IDF issued a clear statement Thursday evening calling for full and equal enlistment of the ultra-Orthodox public, adding that it will not invite Rabbi Yigal Levenstein to a discussion with Hesder yeshivas after he called on recruits to avoid Sayeret Matkal on religious grounds. The army said it does not grant exemptions and maintains dedicated frameworks for religious lifestyle.
The IDF's Thursday evening statement, published via official channels, marks a rare unequivocal declaration on the conscription of Haredi men. The military explicitly stated that Haredim 'must enlist, all of them, full equality,' rejecting any form of blanket exemption.
In a separate but related point, the IDF said it will not extend an invitation to Rabbi Yigal Levenstein, head of the Eli pre-military academy, to participate in a discussion with the Union of Hesder Yeshivas. This follows Levenstein's recent call for candidates to avoid Sayeret Matkal due to gender integration, which the IDF has strongly opposed. As The Zioneer reported on June 10, the rabbi publicly urged recruits to choose units like Shayetet 13 or Shaldag over Sayeret Matkal, claiming the elite unit lowered its standards.
The military clarified that it does not grant exemptions ('lo mechaln') and maintains dedicated frameworks that preserve a religious lifestyle, countering claims that service is incompatible with Haredi observance. The statement intensifies the ongoing debate over Haredi enlistment, with coalition partners divided and rabbinic leaders threatening to bar students from units undergoing mixed-gender pilots. The IDF's wording appears designed to preempt any softening in the upcoming conscription legislation. What remains unstated is how the army plans to enforce full enlistment against possible mass refusal, and whether the government will legislate enforcement mechanisms.
2 developments
- StrongRabbi Yigal Levinstein Urges Candidates to Avoid Sayeret Matkal Over Gender Integration
- StrongChief of Staff reportedly bars Rabbi Yigal Levinstein from meeting with pre-military academy rabbis
- DevelopingHesder yeshiva heads send letter to IDF chief opposing women in armored corps, report says
- DevelopingReserve rabbi rejects draft-dodging accusations, affirms support for IDF service
Source and signal
- Internal intake