IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkott announced Monday that the IDF Or Etzion yeshiva military dormitory will shutter its doors.

The move is being made due to budget cuts, Eisenkott’s office said. The Defense Ministry confirmed the information.

Or Etzion, a yeshiva gevoha (post-graduate yeshiva), is one of the premier yeshivas in the country for the Religious Zionist community.

Founded in 1977 by Rabbi Haim Druckman, the yeshiva has a hesder – a combined army and Jewish studies – program, as well as programs for students from the US and other foreign Jewish communities.

Among the graduates of the yeshiva and the army program are some of the most prominent rabbis in the Religious Zionist world, as well as former Jewish Home MK Avi Worzman, former Israel Police chief Yohanan Danino, Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz, and others.

Rabbi Druckman said that he was hoping to reverse the decision.

“We were very sorry to hear about this decision, and we hope that after an in-depth discussion the authorities will decide to continue with the program. During the years of the program the IDF has netted some wonderful leaders. It would only be proper to continue the tradition of excellence for many years to come.”