Non-Jewish Soldiers To Be Buried in Same Section as Jews at Har Herzl
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon is expected to announce Sunday that non-Jewish soldiers will be buried in the same sections as Jewish soldiers in military cemeteries – but in different rows.
The decision follows an incident on Memorial Day when the IDF chief of staff chose not to place a flag at the grave of a fallen soldier whose Judaism was in doubt.
As a result of Sunday’s announcement, MK Elazar Stern (Hatnuah) is expected to shelve a bill under which soldiers whose Judaism is in doubt would be buried alongside their Jewish comrades.
On Memorial Day, instead of placing a flag at the grave of the most recent soldier buried at Mount Herzl, Yevgeny Tolochko, Chief of Staff Benny Gantz placed it at the grave of the most recent Jewish soldier.
Stung by criticism, the Israel Defense Forces and Defense Ministry changed the procedure so that the chief of staff places a flag at the grave of the last soldier buried, not simply the last soldier buried in the main section.
Read more at Haaretz.com.
I’m personally matching all gifts to the Forward, up to $36,000. Can I match your gift now?
Hello, fellow Forward reader! I’m Joel Brown, a Forward reader and supporter for more than 15 years, and currently the chair of the board of directors.
I’m an avid Forward reader because it ticks so many of my essential boxes: excellent journalism, Jewish focus and diverse viewpoints. In today’s political climate, what I most appreciate is the Forward’s independence — made possible by the generosity of its membership.
The Forward is committed to bringing you unbiased, nuanced Jewish news. From my position as board chair, I see an exciting future as we expand our position as the definitive independent voice of contemporary American Judaism.
— Joel Brown, Forward board chair
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
