Defense Minister Yitzhak Rabin has banned partisan activities by religious activists in army camps.
His order followed complaints by parents that ultra-Orthodox, who have established yeshivot for “chozrei b’tshuva” (born-again or newly-religious youth), have been influencing their children, many of whom subsequently sever relations with their secular families.
Rabin ordered that soldiers shall not be allowed to organize visits to such yeshivot as part of their army service, and that spokesmen and activists for the chozrei b’tshuva movement may no longer be invited to carry out their activities in army camps.
The defense minister said that it is the task of the Israel Defense Force rabbinate alone to perform religious duties and activities inside the army.
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