Chief Rabbi Calls on IDF Leadership to Reconsider Sanctions Against Religious Soldiers Over Co-Ed Medical Dispute

In a formal letter addressed to Defense Minister Israel Katz and IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, Chief Rabbi David Ber stated that the controversy had escalated into a matter of significant public concern. He cautioned that the military’s response could have ramifications extending well beyond the individuals directly involved.

According to reports from earlier this week, at least seven soldiers were subsequently remanded to military prison following disciplinary proceedings related to the incident.

In his correspondence, Ber argued that military authorities should weigh not only formal regulations but also the wider implications of disciplinary measures affecting religiously observant service members.

He emphasized that established Jewish tradition provides guiding principles for the conduct of a Jewish army, invoking the biblical directive that “your camp shall be holy.”

Drawing a parallel to longstanding IDF accommodations for religious observance—including policies governing kashrut and Shabbat—Ber maintained that observant soldiers should likewise be afforded a meaningful voice in matters pertaining to mixed-gender military environments.

The Chief Rabbi urged Katz and Zamir to revise the relevant directives so that they align more closely with the religious lifestyles of observant personnel.

He characterized these soldiers as individuals who voluntarily risk their lives in defense of Israel, contending that their religious convictions should not serve as an impediment to their service.

Calling on military leadership to reconsider the disciplinary action, Ber cautioned against creating circumstances in which soldiers might feel compelled to choose between continuing their military service and maintaining adherence to their faith.

Concluding his letter, the Chief Rabbi wrote that he was expressing himself “with a heavy heart and out of a deep sense of responsibility for the people of Israel and the unity of the nation,” and appealed to Katz and Zamir to reassess the decision.

“The sanctity of the people of Israel and its moral purity are integral to the secret of our endurance through the generations and to our distinctiveness as a holy nation,” he wrote.

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