Ch. 7 The IDF vs. Religion

Today on Eve's Gardeners, we welcome Rinat Tzubelli to the garden. Rinat, and I dive into the complex landscape of military service in Israel. We start by unpacking the critical national debate: should religious individuals be excused from army service, or should they have to draft just like everyone else?

Rinat Tzubelli, a former IDF commander, shares her intimate journey of maintaining religious observance in a fundamentally secular military environment. She reveals the daily challenges of preserving religious practices within an environment where no one shares those religious values. 

As a woman in a leadership role, Tzubelli candidly discusses the additional hurdles of commanding male soldiers. She navigates the delicate dynamics of professional respect, confronting inappropriate behaviors and establishing her authority in a male-dominated space.

Her overall army experience emerges as a nuanced narrative of personal growth, institutional challenges, and national service. Tzubelli provides rare insights into the inner workings of the IDF from a uniquely positioned perspective.

Finally, we explore how her military service has profoundly transformed her religious observance, offering a deeply personal reflection on the intersection of faith, gender, and national duty in contemporary Israel.

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