Senior rabbi condemns IDF for accommodating LGBT 'perverts'

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4829206,00.html


Religious-Zionist Rabbi Yigal Levinstein, head of a distinguished IDF preparatory yeshiva, accused, via homophobic rhetoric, the army of seeking to silence one 'worldview' and promote another.

Rabbi Yigal Levinstein, a central educational figure in the religious sector, called LGBT persons "perverts" at a conference on Monday and condemned the IDF for having permitted them to insert their worldview in the military system. The revelation of his remarks comes at the end of the week following the cancellation of the Be'er Sheva Pride parade and the uncovering of homophobic remarks from the incoming chief rabbi of the IDF.

The rabbinical conference that Levinstein was addressing was against "the reform of the "Effect of the reform of the State of Israel's identity." Levinstein said, regarding LGBT persons, "There's a crazy movement here of people who have just lost the normalcy of life, and this group is driving an entire country crazy. It's going into the army at full strength, and nobody dares open their mouth to speak up."

[6chars]

1. IDF stands with LGBT in spite of critics

Is what they meant

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

2. The title was clear.

[oberliner]

3. An IDF soldier on being out, gay, and religious

Since you’ve come out in the army, how do you deal with people who are less familiar or less understanding of the LGBT community?

The army has been very accommodating, and everyone from my coworkers to my high-ranking officers support me. The army takes in everybody and has soldiers from all over. This can sometimes be challenging, but I think the main point is that you have to come at that with patience, and realize that not everybody comes from the same background. Not everybody holds the same beliefs, and that’s fine. I try to understand that and answer questions when I can. It’s important to be honest with yourself and not apologize for who you are.

https://www.idfblog.com/blog/2016/06/03/youre-alright-dont-change-idf-soldier-gay-religious/

This interview is hosted on the IDF's official website.

[Israeli]

4. Israel's State-funded Homophobia

A senior figure in Israel's network of premilitary academies has called members of the LGBT community 'perverts.' As long as taxpayers fund part of his salary, he cannot remain in his post.

Haaretz Editorial
Jul 16, 2016

The words of Rabbi Yig’al Levenstein, cofounder of the premilitary academy in the West Bank settlement of Eli, clearly demonstrate the culture war now being fought in Israel – between those who seek equal rights and freedoms, and those who sanctify the hatred and persecution of the other.

At a conference in Jerusalem last Wednesday devoted to “dealing with the impact of Reform Judaism on Israel’s Jewish nature,” Levenstein said that the values of the Israel Defense Forces, led by its Education Corps, have changed. This is reflected, he said, by educating toward religious pluralism and recognition of the LGBT community, describing the latter as “perverts.” “It is an insane movement whose members have lost the normalcy of life. This group makes the country mad and has now penetrated the IDF in full force – and no one dares voice an opinion and mock it. In the army’s officer training base, there are even lectures given by perverts,” he added.

Levenstein is the latest link in a chain of religious-Zionist leaders who believe they need to dictate to the rest of Israel their narrow interpretation of the past, present and future. Such a confusion of values and misconceptions can only flourish with the support of the government, which allocates their budgets and promotes their followers.

Continued @ : http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/1.731392

[King_David]

5. I have always been PRIDE of the IDF...

And this fuckwit of a Rabbi , who should be fired immediately, reminds us why...
( Pinkwashing? LOL )

,” Levenstein said that the values of the Israel Defense Forces, led by its Education Corps, have changed. This is reflected, he said, by educating toward religious pluralism and recognition of the LGBT community, describing the latter as “perverts.”

Kol Hakavod...to the IDF

[Israeli]

27. The cultural war brewing inside the IDF

Summary

Statements by leading Zionist-Orthodox rabbis against gays and in support of the exclusion of women from the army reflect the growing war of culture waged in Israel, between liberals and those who aspire for a more Jewish-religious state.

Author Ben Caspit
Posted July 18, 2016

Read more: http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2016/07/israel-religious-zionism-war-for-control-of-the-idf.html#ixzz4F18UMOky

In addition, he said that the Jewish Reform movement is a branch of Christianity, and that lots of branches started in Judaism before moving on to other religions or movements.

The Zion and Jerusalem Conference at which Levenstein spoke was dedicated to “the infiltration of Reform Jewry into the State of Israel.” The issues discussed at the conference reflect the growing exacerbation of the culture war waged in Israel almost since its very inception in 1948: the war between liberals and conservatives; the secular and the religious; and pragmatic Israelis and messianic Israelis.

The members of Israel’s former secular-liberal elite group (those identified with the state-founding period Labor movement) serve in the army shoulder to shoulder with Israelis of Ethiopian heritage, Russian immigrants, Druze, Bedouin, youths from the periphery and even a growing number of Christian and Muslim Arabs. Thus, what we are seeing today is a war of control over the IDF, an institution that had once been called “the nation’s army.” The State of Israel is populated by several tribes of the same nation; each tribe perceives the army from its own point of view and pulls in its own direction.

The opinions expressed by Karim and Levenstein have generated many reactions and raised a giant storm in the Israeli media and the Israeli public agenda. It is noteworthy that most of the rabbis who responded negated the interpretation of their words and the general tone. They made it clear that Judaism must not be allowed to get between the soldiers and their commanders, and religious beliefs should not be a factor in IDF-related internal issues or operational orders. The problem is that a not insignificant number of these rabbis secretly support the stances of Karim and Levenstein and are determined to win the culture war that is running riot in Israel.

[Israeli]

28. .....all of them KD ???

ref : quote ....

And this fuckwit of a Rabbi , who should be fired immediately, reminds us why...
( Pinkwashing? LOL )

Leading Zionist Rabbis Protest 'Abomination' of Jerusalem Gay Pride Parade

Leaders of the Hardali faction have denounced Thursday’s event, though a number of religious-Zionists activists will take part.

Yair Ettinger Jul 20, 2016

Israeli rabbis who are both Zionist and ultra-Orthodox have published a letter opposing Thursday’s gay pride parade in Jerusalem, calling the event a “parade of abomination.”
The president of Jerusalem’s Har Hamor Yeshiva, Rabbi Zvi Tau, published the letter Wednesday with Rabbi Shlomo Aviner, the head of the Ateret Yerushalayim Yeshiva in the Old City’s Muslim Quarter.

The two are Hardali, a Hebrew acronym for ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) and national religious. In their letter, they “protest the parade of abomination in our city, the holy city of Jerusalem.”

“We are protesting even more strongly the terrible desecration of God’s name; they are bringing in sinners from abroad to participate in this abomination in our holy city,” the rabbis wrote.

read more: http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.732317

[King_David]

30. Israeli Army Bans Anti-gay Rabbi From Bases, Demands He Retract Statements

http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.731993


IDF to re-examine professional relationship with anti-gay rabb

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4830528,00.html

“You’re alright. Don’t change.” An IDF soldier on being out, gay, and religious

https://www.idfblog.com/blog/2016/06/03/youre-alright-dont-change-idf-soldier-gay-religious/




Oh boy , kind of destroys the narrative now....LOL

[shira]

31. Good for the IDF. Exactly what I've come to expect. n/t

[Israeli]

32. Dont you ever read the thread before you post ??

I posted the same link 3 hours before you did ....see post # 29 .

What " narrative " would that be ????????

[King_David]

35. Not your narrative

The OP was posted for a reason .

I posted more than one link .

[FBaggins]

6. I could use some help researching this issue

Please provide Palestinian sources that are more progressive than this position.

Last I read, polling of Palestinians had "immoral" over "moral" by 94-1 on this issue and gay Palestinians flee to Israel for safety.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

7. Did you just fall on your face with that fail?

Yep.

[King_David]

8. I don't think he did fail at all ....

The Palestinian government in the Gaza Palestinian statelet just murdered one of their very own commanders - you know why ?

Because he was Gay ....they fucking murdered their own commander because he was Gay .



Hamas Commander, Accused of Theft and Gay Sex, Is Killed by His Own

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/03/02/world/middleeast/hamas-commander-mahmoud-ishtiwi-killed-palestine.html



This homophobia may be a laughing matter to you , but it's taken seriously by us progressives and the Democratic Party...
Your casual , mocking of this extreme bigoted murderous homophobia is not appreciated.

[FBaggins]

9. Murdered schmerdered

Did they call him "perverted" or didn't they? That's the true offense here.

[King_David]

11. The Rabbi is an idiot

The IDF should be proud to be accused of being the most Gay friendly army in the world.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

13. The true offense is always crying about a terrorist organization,

while ignoring the OP.

Yes, I know, if I mention Israel then some must scream "Hamas."

Funny thing is I don't put Hamas on a pedestal in any form while some do that constantly for apartheid Israel.

[FBaggins]

16. Hilariously ironic less than three hours after your post #7

Nobody is ignoring the OP.

This is the I/P group - with an SOP of "Discuss issues surrounding the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians". You've posted an article about a bigoted Israeli. Obviously you intended it to make a statement in the context of "the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians"... right? You think it says something about the conflict in general or Israelis in particular.

Apart from Laughter at your blindness to what it really says... It's entirely reasonable to point out that:

* It's clear evidence that the IDF in particular (and Israel in general) is not bigoted in this regard since the bigot is criticizing them for just the opposite
* The Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Education, Cabinet ministers, leaders of Likud and even the nationalist Jewish Home (as well as Israelis of all stripes) came out instantaneously to oppose his bigotry.
* It's hardly just Hamas. The poll I mentioned was 94% of Palestinians similarly bigoted, with only 1% standing with gays. If this one guy says something about Israel... surely the 94% says far more about the Palestinians.
* Zero Palestinian leadership opposing the position publicly
* The Palestinians are actually actively killing gays (to applause... not criticism)

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

17. "Obviously you intended it to make a statement in the context of "the conflict between Israelis and

Palestinians".

Nope. I added no comentary. You're not that savy WRT reading a simple OP.

[FBaggins]

18. Oh! Then why didn't you just SAY that your post was off topic?

You're not that savy WRT reading a simple OP.

Apparently it didn't mean anything at all. Just a posting version of Tourette's syndrome

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

23. It's not, dear. Had I posted it any place else

Last edited Wed Jul 20, 2016, 06:45 AM - Edit history (1)

it woukd have been locked as off topic...but you know this very well.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

12. I don't care what your opinion is, Dave.

As is usual with this shit, you can't seem to do anything but to point everywhere than where the OP was pointing.

Yes, we all get it. Hamas is evil.

What's Israel's excuse?

[King_David]

14. Israel ? Huh ?

This is a Rabbi accusing Israel or the IDF of being too Gay friendly.

This Rabbi is a fanatic fuckwit bigot.


You clearly don't understand, do you?

There's lessons for all religious fundamentalist bigots - just like the religious bigot who just murdrred 49 of us recently in Orlando.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

15. There's plenty of fanatic fuckwit bigots in Israel, dave.

Their illegal settlements pepper the Palestinian lands.

They continually harass muslims, destroy their property, kill their children.

Take the blinders off for once and see reality.

[King_David]

19. We were talking about homophobic bigots

The Jewish people lag other fanatic religious bigots in that department .

A major religious fanatic just killed 49 of us in Orlando... In the name of religion many more of us have been pushed off buildings in Iraq and Syria.

A lot of us have been killed in Gaza and recently in that Palestinian statelet , the government killed one of their own top commanders because he was accused of being Gay.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

20. Bigots are bigots dave.

[Israeli]

34. No matter which religion they follow RDO ..........

Israel’s Anti-gay Rabbi Is the Fundamentalist Monster Among Us

How is it that as the Western democracies struggle to improve the war on fundamentalism, we bow our heads to it, bring it into the army, fund it and subsidize it?

Uri Misgav Jul 21, 2016

I’d like to explain once and for all what I feel about Rabbi Yigal Levinstein. I think a great many decent Israelis feel as I do, and I hope to be able to speak for them. I’d like to do this unbound by the strictures of political correctness;  those strictures only ever apply to one side anyway.

(snip)

His worldview is clear and comprehensive. It doesn’t only include gay people. He has a whole doctrine. His doctrine patently and knowingly upends the basic foundations of society and the army in a democratic country, and seeks to undermine it.

I consider him a direct threat to me and everything I hold dear. I have no dialogue with him, no bridge, no shared fate. What do I have in common with him? He’s a son of the Kingdom of Judah and I’m a citizen of the State of Israel.

When I see Levinstein, I understand for the umpteenth time that while I was growing up, going to school, serving in the army, traveling the world, attending university, making a living, paying taxes, establishing a home and raising children, a fundamentalist monster was growing in my backyard.

read more: http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/.premium-1.732637

[FBaggins]

21. Apparently it's now ok to run far afield of the OP.

Hard to keep up with the hypocrisy double standard, isn't it?

[King_David]

22. Unbelievable

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

24. Your projection is laughable...

[FBaggins]

10. Bluster without rhetorical content

Think anyone can't tell why that is?

Hmmm?

[ericson00]

25. the unsaid part of this hitjob post: LGBT has been serving in IDF for longer than in USA

nice try to demonize Israel from a "progressive" standpoint, tho.

[Little Tich]

26. 250 Israeli Rabbis Publicly Back Head of pre-IDF Academy Who Called Gay People 'Perverts'

Source: Haaretz

Statement slamming 'attempts to silence Israel’s rabbis' signed in support of Rabbi Yigal Levinstein, saying there's no place to legitimize 'phenomena and behavior that clearly contradict the spirit of the Torah of Israel.'

About 250 rabbis, mostly members of the Haredi-Nationalist religious camp published a statement on Wednesday in support of Rabbi Yigal Levinstein, who was widely criticized after calling homosexual people "perverts." 

In the statement, the rabbis denounced what they termed "an attempt to silence Israel’s rabbis," and voiced support for another rabbi who referred to gay people as "handicapped" following Levinstein's remarks.

"We want to express support for any rabbi who sincerely and unapologetically expresses his halachic and moral opinion in adherence to the Torah and the sages," the statement reads, adding that "there is no place for legitimizing phenomena and behavior that clearly contradict the spirit of the Torah of Israel."

The statement followed a backlash against Levinstein, the head of an IDF pre-conscription academy at the settlement of Eli. "There’s an insane movement here whose members have lost the normalcy of life. This group makes the country mad and has now penetrated the IDF in full force – and no one dares open their mouth and speak out against it. At Bahad 1, there are lectures by perverts,” Levinstein said, referring to the army’s main officers' training base. His remarks were criticized across the board and he was barred from IDF bases. Israel’s main LGBT organization also filed a police complaint against him.

Read more: http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.732372

[Israeli]

29. Israeli Army Bans Anti-gay Rabbi From Bases, Demands He Retract Statements

Rabbi Yigal Levinstein has also criticized the military’s policy on avoiding civilian casualties.

Gili Cohen
Jul 19, 2016

The Israel Defense Forces has banned a controversial rabbi from its bases and says he must retract statements such as calling gay people “perverts,” military sources say.

Rabbi Yigal Levinstein, the co-head of a premilitary academy, has also criticized the army’s efforts to avoid harming civilians. In videotaped remarks, he has said such a policy “shows a development of delegitimizing combat.”

Levinstein and Rabbi Eli Sadan, an Israel Prize winner, co-head a premilitary academy in the West Bank settlement of Eli.

Military sources say the IDF’s personnel chief, Maj. Gen. Hagai Topolansky, told Sadan that the army expects to hear clarifications from Levinstein.
The rabbi has sometimes been invited to bases by the military rabbinate, though he has not lectured to soldiers in recent years.

read more: http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.731993

[Israeli]

33. Defense Ministry Summons Anti-gay Rabbi Who Criticized Israeli Army

Rabbi Yigal Levinstein has said the military is too careful about harming civilians, and has called gay people 'perverts.'

Yair Ettinger and Gili Cohen Jul 21, 2016

Defense Ministry Director General Udi Adam held a meeting Thursday with the heads of a premilitary religious academy after one of them criticized the army for drafting gays and lesbians and teaching about the LGBT community in officers’ school.

Adam called the remarks of Rabbi Yigal Levinstein, who together with Rabbi Eli Sadan founded and now lead the Bnei David Academy,  unacceptable to the Israel Defense Forces and the defense establishment and asked him to clarify them.

Speaking at a conference in Jerusalem on Wednesday, Levinstein repeatedly referred to gays as “perverts.”

“‘The Spirit of the IDF,’ the army’s ethics code, specifies ‘human dignity’ as the fundamental, supreme moral value. All human beings are of inherent value regardless of race, creed, nationality, gender, status or role,” Adam told the men, according to a Defense Ministry statement.
“There is no doubt that excluding the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community from society contradicts the most fundamental IDF values,” Adam added. 

read more: http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.732507