Orthodox Jews Joining IDF Face Increasing Pressure, Threats - Dov Eilon ISRAEL TODAY

Orthodox Jews Joining IDF Face Increasing Pressure, Threats

Tuesday, November 21, 2017 |  Dov Eilon  ISRAEL TODAY

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Tension has been growing over some Orthodox Jews joining the Israeli army, as evidenced by the violent mass demonstrations at the entrance to Jerusalem. This week, the public protests moved down to the Tel Aviv area.

It should be stressed that a great many Orthodox are against these outbursts. And, of course, the demonstrations are being held precisely because more and more religious Jews are joining the army.

But those who do put on the uniform of the IDF face many challenges and threats that average Israelis soldiers don't. Many are publicly scorned and even physically abused in their own neighborhoods when on weekend leave. For the sake of these soldiers, the army makes an exception to the rule about wearing one's uniform home from base.

Recently, average Israelis grew fed up and established the Forum Against Incitement to put pressure on the more hostile elements in the Orthodox community.

A new campaign by the forum is urging Israelis to boycott any goods bearing the kosher certification of the rabbinical authorities, noting that the revenues from such certifications are being used to incite anti-Israel and anti-IDF sentiment.

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This Christmas, Israel Celebrates New Trend of Israeli Arab Christians Joining IDF By Abra Forman - BREAKING ISRAEL NEWS

Father Gabriel Naddaf hosts a Christmas celebration for Arab Christian IDF soldiers. (Photo Credit: Courtesy of Israeli Christians Recruitment Forum.)

This Christmas, Israel Celebrates New Trend of Israeli Arab Christians Joining IDF

By Abra Forman December 23, 2015   BREAKING ISRAEL NEWS

“Now it came about when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand, and Joshua went to him and said to him, ‘Are you for us or for our adversaries?’ He said, ‘No; rather I indeed come now as captain of the host of the LORD.’” (Joshua 5:13-14)

As Christmas approaches, an Israeli priest is spearheading a program to dramatically increase the number of Christian Arabs enlisting and serving in the Israeli Defense Forces. The Israeli Christian Recruitment Forum, led by Greek Orthodox priest Father Gabriel Naddaf of Nazareth, aims to double the number of Christian Arabs enlisting and serving in the Israeli Defense Forces.

The Forum, which is supported by the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, has seen a huge jump in numbers since it began its work. It saw a 50% increase from its founding year in 2012, in which only 40 Christian drafted to the Israeli army, to 2014, when over 100 drafted. In March of 2015 alone, 102 Christian Arabs entered the IDF due to the work of the Forum.

Israeli law does not require minorities in the Jewish State to serve in the IDF, so all of the Arab Christians recruits are choosing to volunteer. A notable exception has always been the Israeli Druze community, which is proudly Zionist and has served in the IDF since the state’s creation in 1948. Now, Father Naddaf hopes that some of the 165,000 Arab Christians in Israel will follow in the Druze’s footsteps.

The initiative is really part of a larger movement by Father Naddaf to recast the entire Arab Christian population as a group which, like the Druze, identifies as patriotic Israelis, rather than enemies of Israel. He aims to integrate the minority into mainstream Israeli society. Father Naddaf has even coined a new moniker for the community, calling its members “Israeli Christians” rather than Arab Christians.
He explained, “Calling them ‘Arab-Christian’ puts them on the side of Palestinians and terrorists, when in reality they’ve lived in Israel for generations and just want to live in peace and security.”

While the Forum, which also gives financial aid to needy Christian families in Israel and discharged IDF soldiers, does not receive government support, Father Naddaf and the Fellowship were recognized by Israel’s Defense Minister, Moshe Ya’alon, in a Jerusalem ceremony last week.

At the ceremony, Father Naddaf thanked “Christian donors around the world” for supporting him through the Fellowship, saying, “Your assistance is essential for the strength of Israeli society.” He added, “This society will achieve peace and defeat evil.”

Father Gabriel Naddaf hosts Arab Israeli IDF soldiers in a Christmas celebration. (Photo Credit: Courtesy of Israeli Christians Recruitment Forum.)

On Monday, Father Naddaf hosted a festive Christmas party for some of the Israeli Christian soldiers that the Forum has helped to enlist, distributing holiday treats and thanking them for their service to Israel.

The Christian population of Israel is one of the largest Arab Christian communities in the world, and the only one in the Middle East region which is actually showing signs of population growth. While Christians are often persecuted for their religious beliefs in the Middle East, to the point of kidnapping and wholesale murder in the case of the Islamic State, Israel’s Christian population is free to worship as it wishes. It is also one of the best-educated populations in the country.