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Eyal Moshe Krim | |
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| Native name | אייל משה קרים |
| Born | (1957-02-08)February 8, 1957 (age 68) Israel |
| Allegiance | Israel Defense Forces |
| Years of service | 1975—present |
| Rank | Brigadier General |
| Commands | Military Rabbinate |
Eyal Moshe Krim (Hebrew:אייל משה קרים; born February 8, 1957) is the head of theMilitary Rabbinate of theIsrael Defense Forces.
Krim grew up inGivatayim,Israel, and studied at Yeshivat Bnei Akiva. In August 1975, after he was drafted into the IDF, he volunteered as a paratrooper in theParatroopers Brigade, and in 1985 he became aninfantry officer after completingOfficer Candidate School. He served as aplatoon leader in the 202 Paratroop Battalion, and as acompany commander.
In 1981, he took leave of absence, and studied at theMercaz HaRav yeshiva. After the Lebanon war, he served as commander of a detachment in the eliteSayeret Matkal unit. In 1983–1984, he served as commander of the paratroops. In 1985–2005, he served as a commander with the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Division of Fire in reserve.
From 1985 to 1994, he studied atAteret Cohanim, where he was awardedrabbinic ordination.[1] From 1995 to 1999, he taught in the pre-military academy (mechina) of the yeshiva. He was later appointed director of the mechina, a position that he held until 2004.
In 2006, he responded to the request of RabbiAvichai Rontzki, Chief Rabbi of the IDF, to return to army service. Upon his return, he served as chair ofShiluv HaRa'uy committee charged with implementing the 2002 IDF integration order (of sexes and religions), and then as head of the Halacha section of the Military Rabbinate.
In 2016, Krim was nominated to serve as the head of theMilitary Rabbinate of the IDF. The nomination was criticized over remarks made in 2002 in which Krim appeared to suggest that soldiers were allowed to rapeGentile women during wartime, and that women were forbidden from serving in the IDF.[2] After the controversy, Krim clarified that his remarks about rape during wartime were not meant to apply in the modern era.[2]Meretz leaderZehava Gal-On said Krim was not "suitable" for the role because of these remarks.Yair Lapid said Krim should disavow his remarks, and that he should not be the chief military rabbi.[2]
Later that year, more controversy arose after further comments from Krim were unearthed. Krim said women were inherently unreliable to give testimony in court, that gay people should be treated as "ill or disabled" individuals, and that Palestinian attackers should not be treated as human beings, but as "animals".[3]
Gal-On, along with two fellow Meretz members of Knesset, brought a petition to theSupreme Court of Israel to prevent Krim's appointment. The court suspended Krim's appointment, and asked him to clarify his remarks.[4]
In his defense to the court, Krim strenuously denied saying that soldiers were permitted to rape in wartime."I never said, I never wrote, and I never thought that it is permitted for an IDF soldier to rape women during a war... Such action is totally forbidden."[4]
Regarding comparing homosexuals to ill or disabled people, Krim said that he had sought to express "the obligation to love, support, and help" gay individuals, but he now admits that approach is wrong. He further said he now rejects the idea of homosexuals fighting their sexual orientation.[4]
In November 2016, the Meretz MKs released a statement saying they accepted Krim's explanation, and withdrew their petition.[4]
In December 2016, Krim was sworn in as IDF chief rabbi and awarded the rank of brigadier general.[5]
Rabbi Krim is married, and the father of six.
"Although intercourse with a female gentile is very grave, it was permitted during wartime (under the conditions it stipulated) out of consideration for the soldiers' difficulties," he wrote. "And since our concern is the success of the collective in the war, the Torah permitted [soldiers] to satisfy the evil urge under the conditions it stipulated for the sake of the collective's success."
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