Rabbi Yigal Levinstein, head of the pre-military academy in Eli, publicly called on prospective recruits to avoid trying out for Sayeret Matkal, alleging the elite unit has lowered its operational standards to integrate women. In a statement released Wednesday, Levinstein urged candidates to choose units like Shayetet 13 or Shaldag that, he says, still prioritize victory over equality. The call deepens an ongoing rift between religious-Zionist educators and the IDF over gender integration in combat roles.
Rabbi Yigal Levinstein, head of the pre-military preparatory academy in Eli, released a statement Wednesday urging prospective recruits to avoid selection for Sayeret Matkal (General Staff Reconnaissance Unit), charging that the elite formation has lowered its standards to accommodate the integration of female soldiers. Levinstein wrote that Sayeret Matkal has become a 'karkal' (a derogatory term for a lightweight vehicle, used here as a slur for diminished capability), and that 'radical feminist gender theory' has overtaken the value of victory. He specifically criticized the creation of an adjusted training track for women, arguing this produces a hollow achievement. He recommended candidates instead pursue units such as Shayetet 13 and Shaldag, claiming they do not reduce requirements in the name of equality. As The Zioneer reported on June 10, twelve Hesder yeshivas halted recruitment to the Armored Corps in protest of gender integration in tank crews. An earlier bulletin on June 5 covered a separate incident in which Rabbi Eliakim Levanon ruled against joining a military tour with a female driver, and a platoon commander threatened court-martial. Levinstein's statement extends the same internal cultural conflict to the IDF's most prestigious commando unit, reflecting a widening point of friction between religious-Zionist educators and the military's integration policies.
- StrongPre-army seminary rabbis join hesder yeshiva heads in urging students to avoid mixed-gender units
- DevelopingPre-army academy head says Armored Corps mixed pilot threatens religious soldiers
- DevelopingForum Dvora warns IDF against yielding to rabbis' threats to bar women from service
- DevelopingRabbi rules against joining military tour with female driver; commander threatens court-martial
Source and signal
- Internal intake