Sharon Afek
Sharon AfekLaw Bureau spokesman

IDF Chief Military Prosecutor Brigadier-General Sharon Afek recently announced in a law journal interview being attracted to the same gender as he, and said he hopes he'll be an example for other soldiers in his situation.

"I never felt like my sexual orientation was important to decision makers, and that's a good thing," Afek said. "I want to set an example."

"During all my time in the IDF, I never felt discriminated against because of my sexual orientation. When I was a young officer, times were different, and I was very worried that it would count against me and I would reach a glass ceiling.

"Thankfully, it was of no special interest to anyone, and I never felt like my sexual orientation influenced decision makers' opinions of me, and that's a good thing...

"It's important to me that those young men and women know that the IDF has no glass ceiling to limit them. Their success depends on them, and them alone. You can reach the top of the pyramid. Each person can reach the top in his field - depending on his ability and talents. The IDF is the nation's army, it embraces anyone who wishes to give of themselves and to develop themselves in it.

"I would be very happy for all youths to follow in my footsteps."

A conference aimed at acquainting community rabbis with the issue of gender disorientation from a Torah perspective was recently held, at which Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu said "same-sex relations are a tendency that one must not accept as one does not accept the tendency to obesity, etc. The rabbis who deal with opposite tendencies must be acquainted with as many studies and professionals as possible who know the origin of such negative inclination and know how to cure it.

"In recent years there has been an attempt to silence these professionals, and we must also strengthen the rabbis and professionals so that they will be able to express their professional and Torah views without fear."