IDF steps up war on 'religious' dodgers

[rug]

Number of young women declaring they are religious in order to avoid military service growing every year. Number of investigation agencies checking up on them doubles

Yoav Zitun Published: 11.25.11, 14:23

The Israel Defense Forces is stepping up its war on young women falsely claiming to be religious in order to avoid military service. In the past year, the army has doubled the number of private investigation agencies checking up on women suspected of falsely seeking exemption from service.

Major-General Orna Barbivai, head of the IDF's Personnel Directorate, reported last week of a rise in the number of young women who are not drafted for religious reasons (35% of all young women who do not enlist, compared to 31.6% in 2006).

In the past year, 1,527 female students in secular high schools claimed to be religious in order to be exempt from service, and military officials believe the numbers will grow slightly in the coming years.

Officials at the IDF Personnel Directorate believe that at least 8% of the young women claiming to be religious lied to the local rabbinical court, which recommends that they be exempt from service under three conditions – the girl must declare that she doesn't travel on Shabbat, eats kosher food and cannot serve in the army on religious grounds.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4152682,00.html

[MarkCharles]

1. People using religion for selfish purposes? Must be the first time EVER!

:sarcasm:

[rug]

3. Why are they focusing on women?

[MarkCharles]

4. Maybe because of some of the teachings in the Bible about women

not being fit to engage in war, whereas men are?

Something like that in that Bible book there, the old part.

So the women are following their religious beliefs, directly as the Bible they read tells them to,

[rug]

7. Maybe, but the article doesn't touch on it.

I wonder if they're investigating men's claims to exemptions.

[Quartermass]

2. Just because one is religious...

doesn't give one the right to blatantly ignore the law.

[rug]

5. The law itself provides the exemption.

I'm more interested in how this General intends to prove fraud.

[Quartermass]

6. What Israeli law provides the exception?

What American laws provide the exception?

[rug]

8. The law that provides for this:

"The young woman receives the rabbinical court's recommendation on the spot and passes it on to the army, which must exempt her from service within two months."

What does American law have to do with it?

[Silent3]

9. Why should "real" religiousness matter?

I realize we're talking about Israel here, founded as a Jewish state, but arguing from the perspective of how I feel any constitutional democracy should function (which means allowing religious freedom without also putting religion on a pedestal), why should religious objections against warfare matter more than non-religious philosophical objections?

[rug]

10. Nobody says they do. They're all conscientious objections.

And they all should be observed.

[LiberalEsto]

11. On the other hand

At least one of my husband's nephews, who comes from a hyper-religious Haredi family in Israel, joined the IDF in spite of being exempt from service for religious reasons. I believe he may have felt embarrassed NOT to serve.

My husband's sister converted to Judaism and moved to Israel years ago.

[rug]

13. That's interesting. Do you know if the basis for exemption is different for men than women?

[LiberalEsto]

14. I have no idea

but neither of his sisters served. I'm not sure about his 4 brothers - I know the oldest didn't serve.

[Betsy Ross]

12. Religious Jewish women are exempt from military service

because there are a number of required activities that interfere with observance. The Sabbath is one. Yichud, which limits men and women from being "alone together" is a factor. As are laws of modesty in dressing. Laugh all you want about these practices, ones the I observe: Shomer Shabbes, kosher, and modest.
There are special divisions in the Israeli military for religious men.

[rug]

15. I wouldn't laugh at all. On the contrary, i'm intrigued.

My impression is that women make up a far larger percentage of the Israeli army than is the case in the US. i'm assuming the observant women must be a minority of the population at large.

Do you know how the religious men's divisions differ from the regular divisions?

[Betsy Ross]

16. I do not know the particulars

Only that there is one very renown unit often cited for their bravery and acumen.