Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., October 28, 2008 Tishrei 29, 5769 | | Israel Time: 01:24 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Haaretz Toolbar Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Peres Center Travel Week's End Anglo File

Chief IDF rabbi taught Torah to jailed Jewish extremists By Amos Harel Tags: Israel News, Judaism  The chief rabbi of the Israel Defense Forces has in the past year been visiting prisoners associated with extreme right-wing groups, some of whom are serving jail sentences for planning or helping to carry out terrorist attacks against Arabs, Haaretz has learned. Brig. Gen. Rabbi Avichai Ronski, who assumed his position in 2006, has met with the prisoners to teach them about Judaism. The IDF Spokesman's Office responded to a query about the visits by saying that the encounters were a private initiative of Ronski. "The initiative did not involve a formal IDF visit and was not instigated by the IDF," the spokesperson said. Advertisement The Israel Prisons Service, when queried, responded: "We have received requests by the chief IDF rabbi to meet with prisoners, which we vetted and approved, in part." The source added: "The chief rabbi conducted several visits in which he met with Jewish prisoners serving sentences for security-related offenses." Ronski's request to visit a member of the so-called "Bat Ayin underground" - referring to an extremist group originating in a settlement in Gush Etzion in the West Bank - was denied because the prisoner in question was in solitary confinement. The prisons service allows Jewish extremist inmates - who, in Ayalon Prison, are incarcerated in a separate wing and not with the general population - to meet regularly with rabbis. The service helps to facilitate and supervise these visits. Ronski began visiting prisoners in the Ayalon security wing for such prisoners even before his appointment to the post, and continued to visit them thereafter. The Bat Ayin group was exposed in April 2002, when police arrested two of its members, Shlomo Dvir and Yarden Morag, as they were laying a large explosive device near a Palestinian school for girls in A-Tur in East Jerusalem. Morag, Dvir and a third accomplice by the name of Ofer Gamliel - also from Bat Ayin - were convicted of attempting to perpetrate a terrorist attack. Morag and Gamliel were sentenced to 15 years in prison each; Dvir received 12 years. Rabbinate foots the bill Last week, Haaretz revealed that the Chief Military Rabbinate has recently expanded its educational activities in army combat units, and in doing so has entered areas previously served only by the Education Corps. Apparently, many commanders accept offers of such programs since the rabbinate pays for them, while the units must foot the bill for events run by the Education Corps. The Chief Military Rabbinate's behavior "harms the delicate fabric of relations between the nonreligious and religious in the IDF," a senior officer told Haaretz. "In a number of cases it is religious brainwashing and, indirectly, also political [brainwashing]." IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi ordered an investigation of the matter this week and requested that the "borders" between the rabbinate and Education Corps. be redrawn. The Military Rabbinate has been conducting such programs for years, but has greatly stepped up its activities during the past year. Most of the controversial programs are organized by the Jewish Awareness Department of the rabbinate. The programs - run in close coordination with the Elad right-wing, nonprofit organization, dedicated to expanding Jewish settlement in East Jerusalem - have expanded greatly under Ronski's command. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Livni ahead in polls Netanyahu loses lead he has held for two years, while Labor heads for election debacle. The frozen chosen In staunchly Republican Alaska, a Jewish Democrat may take state's lone seat in Congress.   1.   A Rabbi Teaching Torah,what was he thinking? 04:47  |  Learning Torah 27/10/08   2.   the scoundrel should be an inmate with his charges 05:12  |  Eshkol Hakofer 27/10/08   3.   A military rabbi 05:53  |  Robert Haymond 27/10/08   4.   What do you expect a rabbi to teach? 06:28  |  Yitz Friedlander 27/10/08   5.   Rabbi Ronski as a moderating force 07:06  |  Sarah 27/10/08   6.   IDF Rabbi 08:23  |  Safta 27/10/08   7.   Why dosent he teach the charideem to serve in the IDF 08:44  |  SJ 27/10/08   8.   Somebody`s got to tell them what crime to commit next 09:19  |  Goy 27/10/08   9.   Rabbi teach the Torah 09:28  |  Vogel 27/10/08   10.   Brainwashing captive audience 09:46  |  Chanalau, Tova 27/10/08   11.   Mr. Harel, who edited your copy? 09:59  |  Zev Davis 27/10/08   12.   Is the State of Israel that oppressive ? 13:11  |  Harvey 27/10/08   13.   The funniest article you have ever shown us!!! 13:15  |  Harvey 27/10/08   14.   SJ, you don`t have your facts straight 14:21  |  Zev Davis 27/10/08   15.   i don`t get it!!! 14:50  |  vittorio 27/10/08   16.   Amos Harel, naked and exposed for what he really is, a dafka Jew 15:16  |  Harvey 27/10/08   17.   God Bless Rabbi Ronski 15:32  |  Mike 27/10/08   18.   chief rabbi teaching Judaism 22:57  |  a m 27/10/08

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