IDF Selects Four Officers for Senior Military Rabbinate Posts

The Israel Defense Forces selected four officers for senior Military Rabbinate posts on Thursday, November 12. The selections were agreed in a placement discussion chaired by Maj. Gen. Dado Bar Kalifa, head of the IDF Personnel Directorate. Lt. Col. Rabbi Shmuel was selected as Ground Forces rabbi, while Lt. Col. Rabbi Avraham Yitzhak was selected as Air Force rabbi. The Military Rabbinate congratulated the officers chosen in the placement round. Maj. Rabbi Avishai was selected to head the Military Rabbinate’s kashrut branch and is expected to be promoted to lieutenant colonel. Maj. Aviram was selected to head the personnel branch, with promotion to lieutenant colonel expected when he takes up the post. The latest round follows selections announced on October 19, when Lt. Col. Rabbi Avihud (Udi) Schwartz was chosen to head the Rabbinate Department in the Personnel Directorate, with advancement to colonel. Aviran Damari was selected as Military Rabbinate chief of staff, also with advancement to colonel. Those selections were made in a placement discussion chaired by the IDF chief of staff. Schwartz had served as Air Force rabbi and previously headed the halakha branch.