Amid the ongoing bloody war in Ukraine and the unique halachic challenges faced by Jewish soldiers on the front lines, Rabbi Yonatan Markovitch, Chief Rabbi of Kyiv and Chief Rabbi of the Ukrainian Prison Service, paid a professional visit to the IDF’s Shura Base in Israel.

As part of his work with Jewish soldiers in the Ukrainian army, Rabbi Markovitch is also involved in the identification and burial of Jewish war casualties. During his visit, he met with IDF Chief Rabbi Brig. Gen. Rabbi Eyal Krim to learn about the IDF’s protocols for identifying fallen soldiers since October 7 and to discuss halachic issues related to Jewish soldiers in combat.

The visit was part of Rabbi Markovitch’s ongoing efforts since the war’s outbreak to ensure that Jewish casualties in the Ukrainian army receive proper care and burial in full accordance with halachah. Central to the discussion was the halachic issue of burial on Shabbos, in light of the Ukrainian military’s standard practice of cremating fallen soldiers — something that directly contradicts halachah, lo aleinu.

The Rabbis held an in-depth halachic discussion, focusing on complex questions such as whether and when it is permissible to desecrate Shabbos in order to bring a fallen Jewish soldier to burial, and what technologies may be used on Shabbos for identification purposes. As part of the visit, Rabbi Markovitch toured the military’s casualty identification facilities, which have operated continuously since October 7. He observed firsthand the advanced methods developed by the IDF Rabbinate for handling fallen soldiers with dignity and strict adherence to halachic principles.

Rabbi Markovitch presented a comprehensive overview of the situation on the ground, along with the halachic rulings he has formulated. Rabbi Krim, in turn, shared his broad experience on various halachic matters relating to Jewish soldiers in combat and the Rabbinic guidance provided to observant soldiers on active duty.

At the conclusion of the visit, the Rabbis agreed to establish a direct communication channel between them to allow for real-time halachic consultations. “The reality on the Ukrainian front demands swift and creative solutions,” Rabbi Markovitch said during the meeting. “When a Jewish soldier falls in battle, a race against time begins to ensure a proper Jewish burial before the army’s cremation procedures are carried out. The guidance we received from the IDF Chief Rabbi today will be of great help — though we pray we will not need to use it.”

Rabbi Markovitch emphasized, “Despite the geographical distance and different circumstances, we share mutual responsibility and a joint commitment to ensure that every Jewish soldier, wherever he may be, is granted their final honor in accordance with Jewish mesorah and halachah.”

Photo credit: JCC Kiev