BREAKING NEWS

IAF Chief Rabbi Raavad to step down from position

Rabbi Moshe Raavad, who caused a storm last week for criticism the IDF’s decision to obligate soldiers to attend ceremonies with performances by female singers, will step down from his post as chief rabbi of the Israel Air Force, the IDF announced on Tuesday.
Raavad met with IAF commander Maj.-Gen. Ido Nehushtan who decided that the rabbi could not continue in his current post but would not be fired from the IAF and could continue to serve in another position.
Chief IDF Rabbi Brig.-Gen. Rafi Peretz had recommended that Raavad be dismissed from military service but Nehushtan decided that Raavad could stay in service after he apologized for his criticism.
Raavad caused a storm after resigning from his position as head of “Shachar”, a program for recruiting haredi soldiers, in protest of Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz’s decision that religious soldiers would be obligated to remain in military ceremonies even if they will need to listen to a female singer’s performance. Gantz did rule that religious soldiers could receive exemptions from attending performances at private unit events.