A report in the Hebrew-language Haaretz newspaper says the IDF Chief Rabbi is under fire for having told a conference two weeks ago that he feels women should not serve in the army. Opposition MKs respond by calling for his dismissal or reprimand.
The State itself recognizes the general incompatibility of religious women serving in the army by granting them an automatic military exemption if they request it on religious grounds. Many of them choose to volunteer for a year or more of national service instead.
Despite this, Rabbi Ronski’s remarks – which included the notation that “no rabbinic rulings authorize women" to serve in the army – have become the focus of a controversy, according to Haaretz.
The conference was attended by several dozen religious women soldiers, and concentrated on the special problems they face. “Some of those present, including some Orthodox rabbis and educators, were furious at Ronski's statement,” which he has since denied, the paper stated.
One woman was quoted as saying, “That he chose to say [this] in front of dozens of religious women soldiers, who have done something that is not easy for them - that is insensitivity." Others found his remarks “particularly outrageous” because he met his own wife while she was serving as a company clerk in his army unit. Haaretz did not note that this occurred before either of them became religious.
The paper did note that Rabbi Ronski was praised even by those who objected to his stance for helping religious women solve problems they encounter in the army.
Broadcaster Yedidya Meir told his Radio Kol Chai listeners Thursday morning, “More than Rabbi Ronski is against the enlistment of girls into the army, it appears that Haaretz is enlisted against Rabbi Ronski.” One woman said, "I have been active for ten years in helping religious girls enlist in the army, and I never once got a headline from Haaretz."
Pines Demands Dismissal
MK Ophir Pines (Labor) was quick to take his cue from Haaretz, and called upon the Chief of Staff to fire Rabbi Ronski. “This is not the first outrageous statement he has made,” Pines said.
Other MKs were almost as adamant in their fury at Rabbi Ronski. These included Yochanan Plesner of Kadima (“I call upon the Chief of Staff to consider ending his term of duty”), Orit Zuaretz of Kadima (“Even if this is only his personal opinion, it would be better if he did not say them at all…”), Yaakov Edry and Nachman Shai of Kadima, and Miri Regev (Likud).
Orlev to Rabbi's Defense
MK Zevulun Orlev (Jewish Home), on the other hand, came to the aggressive defense of Rabbi Ronski. “One needs only basic reading comprehension skills to understand that Rabbi Ronski… has a sense of responsibility and is concerned for the increasing number of religious women in the IDF. Those who attack him purposely forget to note that the religious women who do not enlist in the army volunteer for national service, as opposed to the secular left-wing girls, whose representation in the army and national service continues to drop.”
Haaretz quoted Rabbi Ohad Teharlev, who was present at the conference, as saying that “one has to ask the leaders of the army whether there isn't a problem with the very appointment of someone who holds this view." Asked to clarify later, he told Israel National News, “I think that Rabbi Ronski's appointment as Chief Rabbi is a good one; he is a Torah scholar, he has a combat background, and he is very worthy. From the standpoint of this particular issue, the appointment might leave a bad taste, but the bottom line is that what’s important is not what he says, but what he does – and he goes above and beyond the call of duty in helping religious girls in the army.”