Maj.-Gen. Yiftach Ron-Tal, the new IDF Commander of Ground Forces, called a gathering of hesder yeshivot deans this past week in honor of his assumption of the post. Hesder yeshivot combine military service with Torah studies, and the students are considered part of the army throughout their four or five years in the yeshiva. Senior army commanders also attended the event to better acquaint themselves with the needs of hesder-yeshiva soldiers.
A controversial issue of late has been the increasing tendency to include female soldiers in many areas of the army; hesder yeshiva heads say they will not encourage their students to enlist in the army if a separation between the sexes is not enforced. Ron-Tal stated at the gathering that the highly motivated hesder soldiers \"are irreplaceable... they are an exemplary example of motivation and dedication... They are a shining example as human beings and the manner in which they conduct themselves.\" He said that everything would be done to accommodate them and to attract them to the army’s most elite combat units.
A controversial issue of late has been the increasing tendency to include female soldiers in many areas of the army; hesder yeshiva heads say they will not encourage their students to enlist in the army if a separation between the sexes is not enforced. Ron-Tal stated at the gathering that the highly motivated hesder soldiers \"are irreplaceable... they are an exemplary example of motivation and dedication... They are a shining example as human beings and the manner in which they conduct themselves.\" He said that everything would be done to accommodate them and to attract them to the army’s most elite combat units.