Observant LGBTQ soldiers are demanding that the military oust Rabbi Tzvi Kostiner, who lectures at the IDF, after he made homophobic remarks during a protest he recently attended and chanted slurs such as "Gays go home," and "evil, evil, evil."
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"There are harsh statements that could even endanger the lives of observant and ultra-Orthodox LGBTQ members," said Netanel Sheller, head of Havruta, a religious gay community that works to help Jewish gay people come to terms with their sexual orientation while remaining members of their respective communities.
"We were shocked when we saw he had been invited to give a lecture at the IDF. How is this possible? We demand that the IDF condemn his statements and remove him from reserve duty or terminate his employment. He should not be giving lectures in the military."
It is not the first time soldiers have demanded that Kostiner be removed from his position at the IDF. In 2018, similar efforts were conducted after the rabbi spoke out against the recruitment of women into the military. Kostiner, who taught a rabbinical course at the IDF at the time, was removed from his position but continued his reserve duty.
"We ask Rabbi Kostiner to apologize, he has hurt many people," Sheller said. "We are proud of the kippah on our heads, our sexual orientation, and gender identity."
The IDF Spokesperson's Unit was not immediately available for comment.
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