Facebook Helps Israeli Army Find Women Falsely Claiming Religious Military Exemption

In Israel last Monday two Knesset (Parliament) committees held hearings on the exemption from military service granted to religiously observant Jewish women under present law.  According to the Jerusalem Post, women may obtain an exemption by signing a declaration that they maintain a religious life style, including not traveling on the Sabbath and eating only kosher food.  35% of Jewish women have signed such a declaration, but the army estimates that thousands of these are false.  Army investigators have used innovative techniques to discover the women who have filed false declarations according to committee testimony from Brig.-Gen. Amir Rogovsky.  Through Facebook, IDF investigators have discovered 1000 women who have lied. Some of the women posed for Facebook photos in immodest clothing that would not be worn by Orthodox women. Another woman was shown in a Facebook photo eating at a non-kosher restaurant. Investigators also sent invitations to Friday night parties to some women and caught those responding that they would attend.