Chareidi Soldier Jailed for Refusing to Remove Tzitzis

YERUSHALAYIM

Despite assurances from the IDF chief of staff and others that the army will do whatever necessary to accommodate the prospective influx of chareidi recruits, an incident this week illustrated — not for the first time — what many officers say privately, that the military is neither equipped for nor interested in the job.

A chareidi soldier was jailed Tuesday afternoon for ten days due to his refusal to follow an order to remove his tzitzis.

According to reliable sources, an ongoing argument has been transpiring between the soldier, a Chabad bachur serving in a Golani unit on the Golan Heights, and his superiors.

The commander told him to take off the woolen garment because he said that training in the heat while wearing them and two other layers of clothing could cause dehydration. The soldier insisted that he could not depart from his minhag.

When the soldier informed the commander that he was prepared to go to jail for his religious principles, the latter referred the dispute to his superiors, who ordered the disciplinary measure.

An IDF spokesman responded to a Hamodia query, saying that “a comprehensive investigation reveals that the details [of the story] are not correct. For the sake of the individual’s privacy, we will not elaborate.”

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