IDF Throws Out Food And Punishes Soldier

From Israel HaYom:

IDF troops serving in the Kfir Brigade's Haruv Battalion had to make do with cold cuts and matzah on Passover Eve, after a battalion kashrut supervisor ordered food for the Seder to be thrown out on religious grounds, Israel Radio reported Sunday.


IDF rules require soldiers to refrain from publicly violating Shabbat and holidays unless they obtain a waiver due to immediate operational requirements. On Friday, soldiers from the infantry brigade returned to their base from a routine mission only to discover that the festive Passover gathering to mark the Exodus from Egypt had been scrapped. The reason: Their army chef heated up the Seder food after the holiday had already begun, at sundown.


This automatically rendered the food inappropriate for consumption by Jews according to Jewish law. The soldiers relayed their complaints to their parents, who then approached Israel Radio military affairs correspondent Carmela Menashe. According to Jewish law, activating electronic appliances or lighting fire is prohibited on Shabbat and most holidays.


Sources in the IDF confirmed that the warrant officer who activated the device has been court-martialed for violating IDF standing orders.


The IDF Spokesperson's Unit issued a statement on the incident Sunday, saying, "In accordance with IDF orders, a proper solution was found; the soldiers were provided with a different meal whose preparation does not require heating or the desecration of the holiday."

A lot can be commented about this, in different directions:

1. soldiers running the kitchens don't necessarily know rules of kashrut and cannot be trusted. look what happens when the food of the base is entrusted in such hands. True, but the incident was also caught and rectified. Kashrut mistakes and scandals happen in the best of kashrut organizations, no different than in this incident.
2. The army tries to do the right thing. When they can, when they know, they do. When they don't, it is more likely because they don't know than because they are being malicious.
3. The soldier was punished. That shows this is an issue the army is concerned about and they want the rules enforced. That night even help improve the kashrut level, as it will strike a bit of fear into the heart of possible perpetrators in the future.
4. I feel bad the soldiers on duty had to have lousy food after a mission because of this incident, especially on the night of the seder. but it's the army, not a private house, and things happen in large kitchens.
5. The army insisted on keeping the halacha even though it meant throwing out a lot of food and they probably could have found a psak being lenient due to serious loss of money caused by this incident.

------------------------------------------------------
Reach thousands of readers with your ad by advertising on Life in Israel
------------------------------------------------------