Gad Navon

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Rabbi Gad Navon, sitting behind rabbis Shlomo Goren and Yehoshua Kaniel, 1964 Shlomo Goren and Yehoshua Kaniel 1964.jpg
Rabbi Gad Navon, sitting behind rabbis Shlomo Goren and Yehoshua Kaniel, 1964

Gad Navon (1922 – 25 June 2006) was the third Chief Military Rabbi of the Israel Defense Forces. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. The basic form of the rabbi developed in the Pharisaic and Talmudic era, when learned teachers assembled to codify Judaism's written and oral laws. The first sage for whom the Mishnah uses the title of rabbi was Yohanan ben Zakkai, active in the early-to-mid first century CE. In more recent centuries, the duties of a rabbi became increasingly influenced by the duties of the Protestant Christian minister, hence the title "pulpit rabbis", and in 19th-century Germany and the United States rabbinic activities including sermons, pastoral counseling, and representing the community to the outside, all increased in importance.

Israel Defense Forces combined military forces of Israel

The Israel Defense Forces, commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal, are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force, and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel. The IDF is headed by its Chief of General Staff, the Ramatkal, subordinate to the Defense Minister of Israel; Lieutenant General Gadi Eizenkot has served as Chief of Staff since 2015.

Contents

Biography

Mimun Fahima (later Gad Navon) was born in Morocco. He was ordained there as Rabbi after completing the study of the entire Talmud. He participated in the illegal immigration of Jews to Palestine in defiance of the British colonial government and was sent to France on behalf of the Zionist movement. He immigrated to Israel in 1948, served as a fighter of the Negev Brigade of the Palmach [7] and was appointed chaplain in the brigade.

Morocco Country in North Africa

Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country located in the Maghreb region of North West Africa with an area of 710,850 km2 (274,460 sq mi). Its capital is Rabat, the largest city Casablanca. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. Morocco claims the areas of Ceuta, Melilla and Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera, all of them under Spanish jurisdiction.

Talmud Holy Book of Rabbinic Judaism.

The Talmud is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law (halakha) and Jewish theology. Until the advent of modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the centerpiece of Jewish cultural life and was foundational to "all Jewish thought and aspirations", serving also as "the guide for the daily life" of Jews.

Illegal immigration refers to the migration of people into a country in ways that violate the immigration laws of that country, or the remaining in a country of people who no longer have the legal right to remain.

Rabbinic and military career

In 1950, he was appointed chaplain of the Southern Command and afterward of the Northern Command. In 1965, he served as a member of a military tribunal headed by Rabbi Shlomo Goren. During the Six-Day War, he was the chaplain of the Northern Command, holding the rank of lieutenant colonel. In June 1971, with the retirement of Major-General Rabbi Shlomo Goren, he was appointed deputy to Chief Military Rabbi Mordechai Peron and promoted to brigadier general. [1]

The Israeli Southern Command, often abbreviated to Padam (פד"מ), is a regional command of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). It is responsible for the Negev, the Arava, and Eilat. It is currently headed by Aluf Herzl HaLevi.

The Israeli Northern Command is the Israel Defense Forces regional command responsible for the northern border with Syria and Lebanon.

Shlomo Goren Israeli general and rabbi

Shlomo Goren, was an Orthodox Religious Zionist rabbi in Israel, a Talmudic scholar and foremost authority on Jewish law. He founded and served as the first head of the Military Rabbinate of the Israel Defense Forces and subsequently as the third Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel from 1973 to 1983, after which he established a yeshiva in Jerusalem, which he headed until his death.

Gravesite of Rabbi Gad Navon, Mount Herzl Gad Navon's grave.JPG
Gravesite of Rabbi Gad Navon, Mount Herzl

In February 1977, he was appointed the third Chief Military Rabbi and promoted to major general. During his tenure, there was a gradual transition of military chaplains from being religious officers, to being military rabbis. He also founded the military rabbinical course; and in addition to the standard sergeant chaplain present in every reserve battalion, he appointed a military rabbi at the battalion level. [1]

Rabbi Navon published Halachic papers on the issue of identification of fallen soldiers, and during his tenure, technological means of identification were given more credibility. He served as Chief Military Rabbi until May 2000.

He was a member of the Moriah Institute in the organization of the Freemasons. He died at age 84 [1] and was buried in the Mount Herzl military cemetery. [8]

Mount Herzl mountain

Mount Herzl, also Har ha-Zikaron, is the site of Israel's national cemetery and other memorial and educational facilities, found on the west side of Jerusalem beside the Jerusalem Forest.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Former Chief Military Rabbi Gad Navon dies". Ynetnews. June 25, 2006. Retrieved January 15, 2016.
  2. ↑ "Egypt returns bodies of 19 Israeli soldiers". Pittsburgh Post. July 20, 1977. Retrieved January 15, 2016.
  3. ↑ "IAF Hercules Brings Wounded, Dead Home; Egypt Arrests Suspect in Bus Attack that Killed 9 Israelis". Jerusalem Post. February 6, 1990. Retrieved January 15, 2016.
  4. ↑ LoLordo, Ann (June 27, 1998). "Lebanon, Israel swap war dead, prisoners; Negotiation was aided by French, Red Cross". The Sun. Retrieved January 15, 2016.
  5. ↑ HaLevi, Ezra (June 25, 2006). "Longest-Serving IDF Chief Rabbi Gad Navon Dies at 86". Israel National News. Retrieved January 15, 2016.
  6. ↑ Cohen, Stuart (1997). The Scroll Or the Sword?: Dilemmas of Religion and Military Service in Israel. Harwood Academic Publishers. p. 56.
  7. ↑ Jewish observer and Middle East review. July 16, 2010. Retrieved June 11, 2011.
  8. ↑ According to the memoirs of Moshe Gabbay, Brith- the records keeper of Moroccan Jews
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