JERUSALEM (JTA) — An American serving in the Israeli army was sentenced to military jail for bringing non-kosher sandwiches to his base and offering them to fellow soldiers.
The 11-day sentence was reduced, however, to missing a weekend furlough after an Israel Radio reporter contacted the Israel Defense Forces about the case. Israel Radio was the first Israeli news outlet to report on the case on Monday.
It is against IDF rules to bring non-kosher food on its bases, which are kosher. The soldier, who said he was given the pork sandwiches by his grandmother, who lives on a kibbutz, reportedly told the army he was not aware of the rule.
The soldier is training to be a commander. The army told Israel Radio that he was levied a jail sentence due to his leadership position.
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