Israel emissary discusses women in IDF

On March 18, shortly after people around the world have focused on the feminist themes of Purim and International Women’s Day, Or Cohen, Rhode Island shlichah (Israeli emissary) will share stories of her own challenges and achievements as the first female commander of a naval combat vessel in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Her story has helped motivate women to be pioneers and push their limits.  

Cohen said that one of the customs in the IDF is to wear a T-shirt with your unit logo. “At the basic training of the Israel Naval Academy, we received this T-shirt. My friends (female cadets) and I were so proud to wear it. The problem was that most people thought we were wearing a T-shirt that belonged to our boyfriends. Therefore, we soon printed another T-shirt just for female cadets and added a line to it: ‘This is not my boyfriend’s T-shirt.’ ”

Israel is one of few countries around the world with a mandatory military service requirement for women. Before the establishment of the state, women served in combat roles in the militias that would become the IDF. During the years before the establishment of the IDF, military service for women existed in the front lines of the Hashomer and Haganah organizations. The Haganah stated in its charter that its units were open to: “Every Jewish male or female who is prepared and trained to fulfill the obligation of national defense.” Most women served as medics, communications specialists and weapons specialists. During World War II approximately 4,000 women volunteered for service in the British forces, including Alice Hatzor-Hirsch (a driver) and Hannah Szenes and Haviva Reik (paratroopers).  

During the Independence War women participated in combat units, making up 15% of those units. The war for independence was a war for survival, conducted by a population without an institutionalized army, and the efforts of the entire Jewish population in Israel were necessary. The need for women’s participation may have contributed to women’s equality in the military today. 

Soon after the establishment of the IDF, the removal of all women from front-line positions was decreed. Influencing this decision was the very real possibility of falling into enemy hands as prisoners of war. A separate women’s unit was established. The majority of women serving in the IDF then filled administrative jobs. The rest served primarily as instructors, nurses, clerks and telephone operators. A few women flew transport missions in the 1950s, and a few women were accepted into flight training in the 1970s, but they did not complete the program before it was closed to women.  

In 1995, Alice Miller successfully petitioned the High Court of Justice to take the Israeli Air Force pilot training exams, after being rejected on grounds of gender. The court ruled that women were entitled to both formal and substantive equality in their military service – opening up combat positions to women, first as pilots and then as combat soldiers in various prestigious units. The possibility of expanding the integration of women into additional combat roles is currently being examined. 

Today 85% of the jobs in IDF are available for women. There are female pilots, naval officers, an infantry combat battalion for both males and females and more. For the last 10 years, a woman has commanded a squadron in the Israeli Air force, and there are women commanding a combat battalion and a combat vessel. 

Hear Cohen’s story on Wednesday, March 18  at 7 p.m. at the Dwares Jewish Community Center in Providence.

The presentation, which is free and open to the public, is part of this year’s Israeli Culture Series from the Israel Desk of the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island.

For more information, contact Or Cohen at OCohen@jewishallianceri.org.