Thirteen heads of Hesder yeshivas announced on Thursday afternoon that they will stop sending recruits to the Armored Corps beginning with the next draft cycle, following a similar announcement by twelve other yeshiva heads.
The number of Hesder yeshivas that have declared they will no longer send their students to the Armored Corps has now reached 25. Due to the fixed allocation of Hesder yeshiva recruits in each draft cycle, the decision could result in hundreds of soldiers not joining the Armored Corps. Approximately one-third of all Hesder yeshivas are now party to the agreement.
The rabbis said the move follows the Supreme Court’s decision regarding the integration of women into combat roles, which they argued would lead to mixed-gender combat units.
"We grieve the weak response of the State of Israel and the IDF, which did not express opposition to this move," the yeshiva heads wrote. "We, as heads of yeshivas, recognize the heavy responsibility placed upon us. The IDF is the army of the people of Israel, and the sanctity of the camp is the foundation of the spirit of the IDF and of success in defeating the enemy."
They added: "The entry of women into tanks alongside male soldiers causes spiritual and practical harm to combat capability."
The rabbis announced that after "careful and decisive consideration," they had concluded that serving in the Armored Corps is prohibited according to Jewish law, and therefore they would not send their students to serve in the corps starting with the next draft.
"Thousands of our students who enlist in combat units will continue to do so with dedication and strength," they said. "However, the IDF bears the responsibility of providing combat frameworks suitable for those with combat profiles who are not suited for service in the Armored Corps."