‘All security zones will have sukkot’

The Israel Defense Forces' Military Rabbinate has undertaken extensive preparations for the High Holidays, ensuring soldiers, even those in hostile territory, can observe religious traditions. Lt. Col. Rabbi Udi Schwartz, head of the Military Rabbinate's Halacha Department, explained that their "Tishrei holidays operation" involved months of logistical work, providing shofars, symbolic Rosh Hashanah foods, and sukkahs of various sizes for Sukkot. For Yom Kippur, a short prayer was composed for combat soldiers who must eat, as "The commandment that is placed upon him is the commandment of war, the commandment of operational activity, and not the fast." The rabbinate also issued a halachic ruling permitting sukkahs under anti-drone netting on the northern border. These efforts aim to boost morale and foster unity among all soldiers, including non-Jewish personnel, by bringing the holiday atmosphere into the army.