Israel – Some 300,000 kosher cellular phones – SMS-disabled – are in use by members of Israel’s hareidi-religious sector. The IDF is seeking ways for them to receive IDF Homefront Command emergency instructions.
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IDF Col. Gil Hoffman, head of the Homefront Command’s Warning and Teleprocessing Department, told Radio Kol Chai that the army is working “together with the cell phone companies and the rabbis’ committees to ensure that the only messages allowed through [on kosher phones] will be from the Homefront Command.”
“We are in the initial stages of this matter,” Hoffman said, “working to enable the acceptance of SMS messages from our command. The messages deal with warnings of rockets and other dangerous events, as well as dangerous materials, fires, or even directives to boil water for drinking when necessary.”
Why is this even an issue, even for the most fanatical charedim? Its an issue of pikuach nefesh. Simply mandate that every cellphone MUST accept these messages. Those who don’t want it can stand out in the middle of the fields when the rockets are being launched and get their chelek of olam haboh early.
what is wrong or not kosher about sms messages?
Naaaaaa. One must give up there life rather then read a text message…… Can someone please explain what the issue with text messaging is??!!!! And don’t say it’s because you can text some girl or something because I can call one just as easy. It’s splitting hairs.