Coalition talks between Likud and Yahadut Hatorah continue in earnest as Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is anxious to being closing deals with the various potential coalition partners. On Monday 2 Rosh Chodesh Iyar the prime minister visited with President Reuven Rivlin to request a 14-day extension to permit him additional time to build his new coalition.
Areas of significance in which progress is reported with Yahadut Hatorah include both the draft law and giyur. It is reported that after the previous administration passed the new chareidi draft law which carries criminal sanctions for non-compliance, Mr. Netanyahu is now willing to eliminate the criminal sanctions towards bringing the chareidi party on board. In addition, the last government also passed a new liberal law that permits batei din around Israel to perform giyur. According to reports from the negotiating table leaked to the media, the prime minister is willing to return exclusive authority over state giyur to the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, as it was for the years preceding the tenure of the 19th Knesset.
The prime minister has reportedly also made advances with Moshe Kahlon and his Kulanu party, which has ten seats, as he realizes time is passing and he must begin finalizing so coalition partners can sign formal agreements and he can present his coalition to the president.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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10 Responses
I doven that the other parties can put their egos in check and seize the opportunity to destroy the outstanding gezeira shmad.
I have been very impressed by Gimmel party behaviour during negotiatons. Didn’t want the whole pie, just a small but important slice. ( Finance Chair Committee)
Leaving open on how they will enforce conscription? One way might be to tie financials support to yeshivos to the talmidim having been in the army. Another might be to increase veterans benefits (e.g. tax exemptions for veterans).
The only settlement that will secure the hareidim community would be to abolish conscription for everyone by switching to a western style professional/volunteer army.
To a. Kuperman:
What does that even mean “the only settlement that will secure the hareidim community”
The army with G-d’s Brocha is what secures not just the charedim, but every one in Israel
Unfortunately Israel is surrounded by too many enemies to abolish conscription. It will be abolished when Moshiach comes.
The fact that charedim in general don’t serve is only because the rabbonim are afraid of the influence on the bachur who are sheltered from modern life, true many pitfalls are avoided but a large part of charedi jewry’s personsl growth is stunted as they are not challenged to function beyond a limited pattern decided for them by others.
I think they would do better increasing social programs which benefit all of society. Therefore , they will be able to secure the frum funding in a more snius manner.
Jews should always be lobbying behind the scene, never in the spotlight( ex: World War 1 reparations)
ThinkingCap:
1. Conscription probably undermines the Israeli army. As it is, members of the “ruling class” (which is rapidly evolving into a “caste”), representing the ultra-secular, Asheknazi, old zionist families, are increasing refusing to serve in the army leading to a a classic “rich man’s war, and poor man’s fight.” If you believe zionism is a good idea, you should be favoring a professional army in which soldiers are motivated by a combination of patriotism and economic incentives, rather than intimidated by fear of prison and sanctions.
2. Chareidim who refuse to serve (noting that many do serve in the army) do so not only because the army is hostile to Torah and coercive in trying to force chareidim to go “off the derekh”, but because they hold that zionism is contrary to Torah and therefore they would be rodefim, and by halacha, a rodef is required to withdraw (unlike a nirdaf, who is allowed to defend himself). Saying they are “too busy learning in Torah” is a polite way to avoid army service, since saying “the zionists are war mongering imperialists and occupiers who have no basis under halacha for seizing the land and chasing out the Arabs” would be a confrontation that would benefit no one.
To a. Kuperman
Really!
You make it sound like the charedi consensus is that being a soldier in the idf involves an issur rodef.
perhaps that is the satmar position which other rabid anti zionists who are looking for a position latch onto.
It is not the position of any charedi party whom the charedim vote for support.
I cant understand how akuperma gets away with that neturei karta nonsense. The chareidim who refuse to serve are not refusing because they believe that the zionists are war mongers and occupiers, and the other reasons are just an excuse . Nothing can be further from the truth! Even the anti zionist chareidim with the exception of the neturei karta and satmar friends, believe that the army is a legitimate entity needed to protect the jewish people from their enemies. Yidden are not occupiers. Eretz yisroel belongs to the Yidden and that is according to torah. And according to halacha there is an absolute obligation to defend yourself from your enemies, even on shabbos. This is in simon 328 in shulchon oruch, a simon that satmar conveniently ignores.
And the only reason the chareidim dont join the army, is because the environment is not a positive environment for a religious jew and especially for yeshivo bochurim . It is no different than the NYPD that has virtually no frume yidden , even though there is no question regarding their legitimacy.
Akupermas statements are so absurd, its shocking to see how he gets away with constantly repeating himself on almost all the posts. In his dream world, not only would conscription be abolished, but the entire army itself should be abolished g-d forbid. I wonder if he ever thought of the consequences of what could g-d forbid happen to his friends in meah sheorim and bnei berak. Does he think that the barbaric brutal Arab murderers will spare them because of their anti zionist views? Wishful thinking mr akuperma. Thank g-d you and your ilk have zero influence on what’s going on in Israel.
akuperma:
#2: It would probably be far better for world Jewry if the chareidim would say the truth that they strongly disagree with Zionist occupation and imperialism, etc.
Incidentally, Zionist betrayal of Chareidim goes waaaay back to at least Balfour, as you have alluded to in your own posts.
I think a professional army is a great idea. I believe Feiglin suggested it.
Thinking Cap – Baruch Hashem for your answer
Youre so right.
Akuperma – you are still living with this false notion about secular zionism. Secular Zionism has been giving way to Religious Zionizm over the last 30 years or so such that there are very few secular zionists left in the world. Was Jabotinsky a secular Zionist? Jabotinsky wanted to build the Temple
The army is one of the most religious places in the country and there are many programs including nachal hareidi where chareidim serve with distinction and in the most kosher environments. Im not sure where you live but the army has not been ashkenazi elite for many years. The return to the land and the mitzvah of settling the land requires a state and an army. The state is not perfect and the army is not perfect but have you tread Tanach recently. Were all the kings perfect? For anyone who doesnt Thank Hashem for the privilege of being able to live in medinat Yisrael and for the wonderful soldiers who are willing to sacrifice their lives for the fellow Jews is simply showing ingratitude to Borei Olam who has brought us back to our land miraculously.