I was drafted into the US Army, did my time and duty, and I can not understand why you want someone else to protect you. Praying alone will not do it; join the IDF.
I do not keep kosher, but I think it is wonderful that the IDF goes to such great lengths to make sure that no one in the IDF need ever hesitate to eat the food that the IDF provides. Those who defend Israel have more than enough other pressing concerns to attend to.
It’s despicable to me that the ultra-orthodox refuse to join the IDF. Israel is fighting for its very survival and needs every able bodied person of fighting age to aid in her defense. Nobody should be riding in the wagon while others are pulling it.
You wrote "the ultra-orthodox refuse to join the IDF". That is not accurate. It may have been at some time. Your statement is not longer accurate. It may be in some cases and circumstances that such a statement was more accurate than it is today. The video below was already 12 years ago and celebrates 100 Haredi graduating into IDF. But there is MUCH more going on now. And MUCH more developing so that many Haredi, Orthodox, 'ultra-Orthodox' will be and are joining the IDF. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuEWdCVVt9I
You wrote an inaccurate statement. " the ultra-orthodox refuse to join the IDF". You prempted it that with an inflamatory remark. "It’s despicable to me that the ultra-orthodox refuse to join the IDF". Now, after I provided evidence from 12 years ago when the Orthodox were already in a process with the IDF to develop more Orthodox involvement you are still kvetching. There is a LOT of increasing involvement of Orthodox into IDF and a greatly improved and developing dialogue with Orthodox and IDF. There is no need to be a naysayer. Especially as circumstances are quite obviously positive and improving even in the last few years.
There is no reason or motive for an ultra-Orthodox person not to enlist in the army, contribute their share, and continue to study Torah. There is no prohibition in the Torah to fight and defend the Land of Israel and the people of Israel.
Completely agree that it’s necessary, but both current politics and future demographics don’t look good on that front. United Torah Judaism and Shas are pulling out of the government over it. Their power looks like it will only grow.
A fascinating article that is a great example of why I follow the Future of Jewish publication! Kosher food is extremely important and ensuring it is maintained is extremely important. Especially when it comes to the IDF’s tenuous relationship with the Ultra-Orthodox community who are upset about the law drafting their young men into the IDF and fear doing so will make them lose their religious identity. But the IDF is reassuring them and helping to accommodate them. It also is a very good thing to make sure the Jewish state’s army respects the dietary guidelines of the Torah. If half the army is starving how can it function? The IDF is showing it’s a place for both secular and religious soldiers. No matter what their dietary needs, they’ll be met. I’m sure this help increase Ultra-Orthodox participation in the military and make the IDF an even more effective fighting force than it was before.
I wish I could feel happy about this but I don't. It's pennies and it's meaningless and ultimately, the Jews will be blamed, and the harassment of Jews will possibly get worse as a result. As usual. It didn't come with punishment of even one professor or the expelling of one student who participated in any way. The culture of hatred toward Israel and the lies about Gaza continue.
This superb article deserves the widest dissemination possible especially with the discussion about draft deferrals that appear more and more to be rooted in narrative than in fact
Here's another stringency: in the entire IDF, no cooking is done with milk, such that no dairy utensil is actually dairy. Yes, that's true, I was an army mashgiach for 9 months and I can tell you that unless someone goes against army protocol, no cooking is done with dairy products whatsoever.
The problem is - you cut one head off of this particular snake and another one grows back. Anti Jewish hatred runs so deep. Whatever the result the Jews will ultimately be blamed. We are a lot like the Democratic Party in terms of making our case at least in the U.S.- inept, incompetent, poor leadership inclined to sit back and see what happens rather than be proactive about the anti Jew hatred that is infecting our society - again- if it ever went away in the first place.
Israel needs to re-evaluate its commitment to the Ultra Orthodox, who are happy to live off the state but do little to sustain it. They have too much power and are too often disruptive to the functioning of the country.
Kashrut is necessary but some of it is mishegas, especially when politics and money are involved.
Feed the IDF nourishing food. The rest is commentary.
Wow. Israel does it all. My father-in-law served in WW2. He kept kosher and conferred with his rabbi on what to do regarding the meat. The rabbi told him to try to avoid beef ( sticking to fish and maybe chicken) but at the same time to be aware of eating enough protein. Just thought it was interesting.
As someone who is reading across both pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian news, this article is jarring and badly timed. Gazans are reported to be not weeks, but days away from total starvation while the IDF boasts of their diligent adherence to kosher standards.
What hate of thy enemy brings them so low that they can’t even be offered the kitchens’ (since there are numerous for each ingredient, it seems) scraps? I’ve read many pieces from this outlet. I’ve learned a great deal. This was unbelievably disappointing to me.
Wow, you must be one hell of a picky eater. You refuse to digest the long-established positives the IDF provides, but scarf up all the treif bull**** Hamas and their media lackeys serve up.
"Gazans are reported to be not weeks, but days away from total starvation"
As they have been for 2 years by UN reporters. Remember the 14,000 Gaza children that were about to die of starvation in 48 hours, according to the UN?
Here are July 24, 2025 pictures from Reuters in Gaza: spot the starving people if you can
Virtue signaling does nobody any good. Truths: 1) The longer this drags on, the longer people suffer; 2) Don't start a war, pretty much lose, then cry over it; 3) The goals should be clear - return hostages, Hamas surrenders unconditionally; 4) Hamas wants their civilians to die in order to make Israel look bad -- obviously we can't worry about that.
Decency went out the window when the Gazans elected Hamas. No, when Arafat with the help of the Soviet Union invented "Palestinians." No, when the mufti collaborated with Hitler. No, . . .. you get my point.
I was drafted into the US Army, did my time and duty, and I can not understand why you want someone else to protect you. Praying alone will not do it; join the IDF.
I do not keep kosher, but I think it is wonderful that the IDF goes to such great lengths to make sure that no one in the IDF need ever hesitate to eat the food that the IDF provides. Those who defend Israel have more than enough other pressing concerns to attend to.
This was an uplifting read - inspiring us all to maintain high standards of the Torah.
It’s despicable to me that the ultra-orthodox refuse to join the IDF. Israel is fighting for its very survival and needs every able bodied person of fighting age to aid in her defense. Nobody should be riding in the wagon while others are pulling it.
You wrote "the ultra-orthodox refuse to join the IDF". That is not accurate. It may have been at some time. Your statement is not longer accurate. It may be in some cases and circumstances that such a statement was more accurate than it is today. The video below was already 12 years ago and celebrates 100 Haredi graduating into IDF. But there is MUCH more going on now. And MUCH more developing so that many Haredi, Orthodox, 'ultra-Orthodox' will be and are joining the IDF. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuEWdCVVt9I
Voluntary enlistment of a few is not at all the same as most other Israeli citizens being conscripted.
You wrote an inaccurate statement. " the ultra-orthodox refuse to join the IDF". You prempted it that with an inflamatory remark. "It’s despicable to me that the ultra-orthodox refuse to join the IDF". Now, after I provided evidence from 12 years ago when the Orthodox were already in a process with the IDF to develop more Orthodox involvement you are still kvetching. There is a LOT of increasing involvement of Orthodox into IDF and a greatly improved and developing dialogue with Orthodox and IDF. There is no need to be a naysayer. Especially as circumstances are quite obviously positive and improving even in the last few years.
As a whole my statement is true.
Fact - they are exempted from military service.
Fact - they receive government subsidies.
Fact - they receive preferential tax breaks
Fact - their religious schools are government funded despite the fact that they don’t teach core curriculum required by law.
Still want to make this personal?
There is no reason or motive for an ultra-Orthodox person not to enlist in the army, contribute their share, and continue to study Torah. There is no prohibition in the Torah to fight and defend the Land of Israel and the people of Israel.
Sure there is, both reason and motive. It’s called self-interest.
Self-interests can be reversed once you stop the free funding of these groups by taxpayers.
Completely agree that it’s necessary, but both current politics and future demographics don’t look good on that front. United Torah Judaism and Shas are pulling out of the government over it. Their power looks like it will only grow.
Dry up the swamp 🤑
in yer ass
A fascinating article that is a great example of why I follow the Future of Jewish publication! Kosher food is extremely important and ensuring it is maintained is extremely important. Especially when it comes to the IDF’s tenuous relationship with the Ultra-Orthodox community who are upset about the law drafting their young men into the IDF and fear doing so will make them lose their religious identity. But the IDF is reassuring them and helping to accommodate them. It also is a very good thing to make sure the Jewish state’s army respects the dietary guidelines of the Torah. If half the army is starving how can it function? The IDF is showing it’s a place for both secular and religious soldiers. No matter what their dietary needs, they’ll be met. I’m sure this help increase Ultra-Orthodox participation in the military and make the IDF an even more effective fighting force than it was before.
Fascinating article. I was unaware that kosher standards are so well maintained by the IDF.
https://nypost.com/2025/07/23/us-news/columbia-university-to-pay-out-more-than-220m-after-violating-jewish-students-civil-rights-in-massive-win-for-trump-admin/
I wish I could feel happy about this but I don't. It's pennies and it's meaningless and ultimately, the Jews will be blamed, and the harassment of Jews will possibly get worse as a result. As usual. It didn't come with punishment of even one professor or the expelling of one student who participated in any way. The culture of hatred toward Israel and the lies about Gaza continue.
Defund Columbia and pull the plug on all of Columbia’s foreign student-visa cash machines!
This superb article deserves the widest dissemination possible especially with the discussion about draft deferrals that appear more and more to be rooted in narrative than in fact
Here's another stringency: in the entire IDF, no cooking is done with milk, such that no dairy utensil is actually dairy. Yes, that's true, I was an army mashgiach for 9 months and I can tell you that unless someone goes against army protocol, no cooking is done with dairy products whatsoever.
Yes, Rav Goren introduced that from the very beginning.
Not sure why it's not in the article here--it is in the article as originally published in the IJN: https://www.ijn.com/israeli-army-idf-kashrut/
The problem is - you cut one head off of this particular snake and another one grows back. Anti Jewish hatred runs so deep. Whatever the result the Jews will ultimately be blamed. We are a lot like the Democratic Party in terms of making our case at least in the U.S.- inept, incompetent, poor leadership inclined to sit back and see what happens rather than be proactive about the anti Jew hatred that is infecting our society - again- if it ever went away in the first place.
Israel needs to re-evaluate its commitment to the Ultra Orthodox, who are happy to live off the state but do little to sustain it. They have too much power and are too often disruptive to the functioning of the country.
Kashrut is necessary but some of it is mishegas, especially when politics and money are involved.
Feed the IDF nourishing food. The rest is commentary.
Thanks for logical, enlightening insight into something so elemental I’ve never given it any thought before.
Wow. Israel does it all. My father-in-law served in WW2. He kept kosher and conferred with his rabbi on what to do regarding the meat. The rabbi told him to try to avoid beef ( sticking to fish and maybe chicken) but at the same time to be aware of eating enough protein. Just thought it was interesting.
grift
As someone who is reading across both pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian news, this article is jarring and badly timed. Gazans are reported to be not weeks, but days away from total starvation while the IDF boasts of their diligent adherence to kosher standards.
What hate of thy enemy brings them so low that they can’t even be offered the kitchens’ (since there are numerous for each ingredient, it seems) scraps? I’ve read many pieces from this outlet. I’ve learned a great deal. This was unbelievably disappointing to me.
Wow, you must be one hell of a picky eater. You refuse to digest the long-established positives the IDF provides, but scarf up all the treif bull**** Hamas and their media lackeys serve up.
"Gazans are reported to be not weeks, but days away from total starvation"
As they have been for 2 years by UN reporters. Remember the 14,000 Gaza children that were about to die of starvation in 48 hours, according to the UN?
Here are July 24, 2025 pictures from Reuters in Gaza: spot the starving people if you can
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/israel-studies-hamas-reply-gaza-ceasefire-plan-fighting-continues-2025-07-24/
Let’s not forget the dying children with overweight mothers crying over them.
Have you no decency?
Virtue signaling does nobody any good. Truths: 1) The longer this drags on, the longer people suffer; 2) Don't start a war, pretty much lose, then cry over it; 3) The goals should be clear - return hostages, Hamas surrenders unconditionally; 4) Hamas wants their civilians to die in order to make Israel look bad -- obviously we can't worry about that.
Decency went out the window when the Gazans elected Hamas. No, when Arafat with the help of the Soviet Union invented "Palestinians." No, when the mufti collaborated with Hitler. No, . . .. you get my point.
Get over it. We're not feeding those who want us dead.
Though it behooves me, I cannot get over it. My morality compels me to value life. Especially and above all, the lives of innocent children.