According to Kikar HaShabbat, military rabbis are criticizing the IDF for eliminating the position of head of the rabbinate's kashrut department. The current head, Lt. Col. Neria Rosenthal, is leaving in October. Instead of appointing a successor, the Office of Personnel Management plans to transfer the duties to a major-ranked officer.
Retired Colonel Rabbi Hagay Velossky, former deputy chief rabbi of the IDF, stressed that overseeing kashrut is complex and requires experienced leadership. "Reducing the status of this position will pose problems for religious soldiers," he said. "The military rabbinate and the kashrut department have proven crucial both in daily operations and during the ongoing conflict."
A serving military rabbi also criticized the decision, noting a disconnect within the army. "While efforts are made to attract more religious and ultra-Orthodox recruits, cutting back on the military rabbinate's ability to meet their needs is counterproductive," he said. "Canceling this position now, for budgetary reasons, is impractical."
Since the conflict began, the kashrut department has ensured kosher food for hundreds of thousands of mobilized reservists, many of whom adhere to kosher dietary laws. Various catering establishments have also received kosher certification under the Military Rabbinate's supervision.
