Science Minister Rabbi Dr. Daniel Hershkowitz says that radical changes must be made in Israel’s workforce, beginning with ousting the infiltrators and bringing in the chareidim. The minister explains the ‘infiltrators’, the illegal aliens living in Israel must be deported in an acceptable fashion, sending back to their countries of origin.
The minister was addressing a forum on national service and “sharing the load” hosted in Bar Ilan University.
Rabbi Hershkowitz explained that he has presented his plan to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu as part of the ongoing effort to replace the Tal Law. His plan calls for thousands of chareidim entering a national service program in cooperation with the IDF Homefront Command, a move that will also better prepare them to enter the national workforce. He signaled the prime minister appears in favor of adopting portions of the plan.
Also addressing the event was Zaka head Yehuda Meshi-Zahav, who explained from his perspective, the discussion has nothing to do with the shabavnikim “who certainly need to be drafted”.
In another few years the chareidim will be a majority and we will have to run things. The question is what and how is this going to be done for we cannot run away from reality”, Meshi-Zahav added.
“Today, there is no rav with the backbone to stand firm like the Chazon Ish that can even implement a cosmetic change regarding chareidim serving. If the army becomes a voluntary one as was done in the United States, many chareidim would join for the sake of steady employment” he added.
Hershkowitz did not accept Meshi-Zahav’s viewpoint, emphasizing IDF service is a privilege and defending Am Yisrael is not a job like any job. Hershkowitz stressed that for him, there is no conflict between fulltime torah study and IDF service, explaining in an ideal situation, we would all share the burden, the defense of Am Yisrael, admitting one cannot expect a sudden turnaround in hashkafa and therefore, he feels a national service may be viewed as more palatable.
Nachal Chareidi founder Rabbi Dovid Bloch told the audience that learning torah is also “sharing the burden”, adding that he would agree that not all chareidim are suited to learn fulltime, but those who are doing so must remain since they are taking upon themselves a load far greater than any soldier, at least those who are non-combatants. The rav added that “one who does not do either is simply a parasite”.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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13 Responses
It is inevitable that the religious will become a majority and take over the government. They must now begin their entry.
Meshi Zahav never served in the army, he was the 1st shabanik in israel
Why do we need “a rav with the backbone to stand firm like the Chazon Ish” when we have the original Chazon Ish, who forbids serving in the treif army?
All they have to do is to change the culture of the Hiloni ruling class so that they accept that “public” life in Israel is run according to Jewish principle (modest clothing, respect yichud and negiah and related laws – which also means no sexual harassment of anyone by anyone, organizing schedules based on halacha, etc.). In short, if Israel were a Jewish state, there wouldn’t be a problem. However this is unacceptable to the hilonim. Perhaps the hilonim will die off due to high infertility, and in the future “secular” will mean what we today call “modern orthodox” – but based on demographic trends that won’t happen in the foreseeable future (and note that the hilonim are desperate to import non-Jewish seculars to help make off for their own low birth rate).
#3 Wrong. The Chazon Ish recognized that “if there is a need for them, they must come to the aid of their brethren” based on Orach Chaim and the Gemara tractate Eruvin. He never denied that it serving in the IDF fulfilled the mitzvah of pikuach nefesh, which overrides other mitzvot (such as Torah study), only that in his day the exemption applied to only 400 or so students, today it’s 15% of the entire population and growing!
I don’t understand the hesitancy at all. Of course the IDF isn’t a great atmosphere. Of course there’s kol isha and gay chilonim to contend with. That doesn’t in any way negate the frum communities responsibilities of pikuach nefesh which are supposed to be performed by b’nei torah before chilonim.
It is truly tragic that Zionism has degenerated into a militaristic cult where service in the Army is seen as equivalent or greater than the learning of Torah. Israel needs an Army, a strong and popularly supported Army. We do not need a cult of militarism seeking to replace the Torah and enslave the population.
An answer to Breslever. No one is required to endanger their own life to save another’s. A person who does not know how to swim is not required to jump into the water to save someone who is drowning. We are only required to do what is possible for us.
The Gedoley Yisroel have never been against military service, they have opposed forced induction to the IDF. There is a big difference between them.
The IDF from its beginnings was modeled after Stalin’s Red Army. The primary mission of both was to mold everyone into true believers of the Party. Its military mission was secondary to this. There is still a large portion of the IDF and the establishment that see it like that. That is why I call it a militaristic cult.
#6 – it was inevitable that any movement that embraced nationalism will evolve into a militaristic cult — the idea behind zionism was to be like the goyim, and it was a tremendous success
Shababnik is a racist and derogatory term, and I think it only strengthens the unfortunate hatred that exists between sects of Klal Yisroel.
#5 “breslever” sorry, are you awear of the fact that the Chazon Ish was against the establishment of the State and would have preferred the British over the Zionists???
#10 What does that have to do with the discussion? I quoted something he said in regards to the IDF, vis, that if there comes a time when the chareidim are needed then they should serve as it is a MITZVAH to do so.
The Chazon Ish’s views on the medinah itself are another issue. What he would have preferred and what you would prefer is irrelevant now because Hashem preferred medinat yisrael. If the state’s existence is not to your liking, take it up with Hashem.
#10…Not factual at all.
Breslever: Hashem preferred medinat yisroel the same way Hashem preferred the holocaust.