Kadima MK Yochanan Plesner, who heads the Plesner Committee which is formulating the new law addressing conscription for the chareidi community is seeking monetary sanctions against those mosdos serving chareidim who do not serve. According to a Channel 2 News report, Plesner has already turned to the treasury seeking approval for penalizing mosdos and avreichim with monetary sanctions for those who don’t serve.
Plesner explains that the new law will contain provisions for a portion of a sector not to serve, but one who is not released of this obligation and does not serve in the IDF or an approved national service should be penalized, both the person and the institution he attends.
The Channel 2 reports indicates the sanctions may come in the form of cancellation of an avreich’s stipend, government assistance towards getting an apartment, and other forms of supplementary assistance.
Needless to say the report has received an angry response from chareidi legislators, stating “money will not cause one to stop learning torah. You need to act with the carrot, not the stick. Instead of penalties and sanctions, you should speak of incentives and budgets, to double and triple the number of those serving with a willingness and good will”.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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11 Responses
Not the stick and not the Carrot
if one looks as the stipend as a reward for army/community service then they are not losing but not gaining… there is no reason to be rewarded if one doesnt contribute like the rest of society…
Someone who is learning full time is contributing. Without him the army would have no success.
Hmm…let me say try to say it in a way that this time might get by the censorship of good ole yweditor2…
By virtue of Israeli coalition politics,the Chareidim have for years..for decades…been able to extract (extort?)from the Knesset laws favoring subsidies to their mosdos, while excusing pretty much all of them from military service. At least with respect to military service, it looks like that is no longer the case; they better just smell the coffee, face it like adults…and now do their part like all other Yidden in Israel.
milhouse…. there will be an exception for a few thousand to be full time…most people are saying they are full time while in fact they are working off the books or home playing on yeshivaworld…..this will allow everyone work and learn and be a functional member of society
1. What will they do with the non-zionist yeshivos that don’t accept government money.
2. How will they deal with non-Hariedim who refuse to serve in the army – would they really have the nerve to cut off benefits to hilonim who avoid the military, or to Arabs?
Any “Haredi” who takes money from the tamene medinah should serve the medinah, either in the IDF, or public service. A good form of public service would be in the form of chaplains or para-chaplains (or as chavrusos) in hospitals, prisons, or military institutions, etc. as well as in other government offices, such as post office, kneset, etc. only those true haredim who take no money should be exempt
I think it’s HIGH TIME for a REALITY CHECK here people!!
Saying someone who learns Torah is ‘not contributing to society’ is plain and simple KFIRA!!! He is not only contributing to society, the nation of Israel, the entire planet but to the EXISTENCE OF THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE – saying otherwise is being KOFER BE IKAR!
Whether or not it is right for any specific individual to be doing at any specific time is a sheelat Rav in each individual’s case – but to call those who are zoche to be doing it ‘not contributing’???? You couldn’t get a BIGGER LIE than that!!
There is plenty of time for most of these bochurim to sit in kollel and learn. Taking a year off for military service or some alternative form of public service in hospitals, public facilities etc. would help assure the national and economic security of EY and give most of these yungerleit some real world experience that would assist them in finding a parnassah once their enlistment is over.
RamatShilo, are “a few thousand” learners enough? When there are more learners than fighters, then let’s talk; until then there should be no cap on the learners. As for those who are not really learning, by all means crack down on them, not on the ones who are learning. If it were up to me I’d militarise the yeshivos and kollelim; turn them into military units, make the roshei yeshivah, mashgichim, and magidei shiur officers, and have the bochurim and yungeleit learn in uniform, under military discipline. Not showing up for seder would be treated just like not showing up for any other military duty. If you decide you’re not cut out for this type of service, there are many other types you can ask to transfer to.
#9, taking a year off from Torah means not learning during that year. That is not acceptable.