New head of Kashrus in IDF

About a month after the appointment of lieutenant colonel Harav Hagai Wolovsky as the new airforce Rav, after the discharge of the previous Rav, lieutenant colonel Harav Ram Moshe Rab"d, changes of tasks and new appointments were made in the military rabbinate.

Lieutenant colonel Harav Yoav Okanin, who served as Rav of the central command and was even a candidate to be Rav of the airforce, was appointed as head of department for identification and burial. In his military past he served as the commander of a convoy of trucks in a transport basis.

Lieutenant colonel Malachi Rab"d, who so far served as Rav of manpower department, was appointed to the task of head of the Halacha branch. Rab"d is a hareidi, previous Talmid of Chevron Yeshiva, who is in charge of the Tanach quiz. His brother's resignation from the airforce rabbinate almost caused the IDF system to discharge him, but colonel Orna Barbivai, the head of manpower, fought for him.

Lieut. Col. Sharon Zabari, who so far served as Rav of the Gaza district, was appointed as head of the Kashrus branch in the IDF. Zabari learned in the Mechina, and served in the Maglan unit. Factors in the military rabbinate expressed criticism about the latest appointment, and claim that he has no experience whatsoever in the realm of Kashrus. The IDF spokesman informed: "The procedure of decision making regarding manpower in the military rabbinate, just as throughout the IDF, is done with a professional and responsible look. These are most trustworthy appointments which were carefully chosen before they were decided on".

About 200 religious and hareidi soldiers are enlisting to the IDF

Meanwhile: Today (Thurs.) 200 religious and hareidi soldiers will show up and enlist to the Netzach Yehudah battalion of the Kfir division.

In August 2012, 200 youth, out of which 83% are hareidi, will be enlisting. This is a rise of 13% of the previous recruits, in which the average of hareidim who enlist to the battalion was 70%.

Altogether, there is a rise by 33% relative to the previous year. The forecast is to enlist 550 hareidi soldiers to the Netzach Yehuda battalion during 2012.

The Nachal Hareidi battalion, or according to its military name "Battalion 97 – Netzach Yehuda" of the Kfir division, was first founded in February 1999, when 31 hareidim enlisted. The battalion performs executive occupation in the Jenin area, including fighting against terror and has accumulated many successes. Since the Nachal Hareidi has been founded, more than 4,000 soldiers from the hareidi sector have been enlisted. About two years ago the first hareidi reserves battalion was founded – Netzach Yisrael.

The service course in the Nachal Hareidi is unique, and enables one to receive a professional guidance and a year of studies funded by the army, in which the soldier acquires a profesion, and later on integrates into the work market, after two years of service.

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!