The newly-elected leader of HaBayit HaYehudi, Naftali Bennett, brings a new look and agenda to the dati leumi camp. Bennett, a reserve duty officer in one of the nation’s most elite reconnaissance units, speaks of the need of the IDF to establish a system that can accommodate chareidim before it has the right to speak of drafting them.
Speaking of the IDF Rabbinate, Bennett explains that in the past, the organ of the IDF was used as a dumping ground for frum inductees, simply an appropriate place to permit them to serve, creating unnecessary jobs just to find a slot for the chareidim.
Bennett speaks of the need to restore the Jewishness in many areas, but most of all, he feels he and his colleagues must work to “restore the Jewish neshama to the nation.”
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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4 Responses
In the past the army only dealt with volunteers, since they had the option of learning rather than being a soldier. Conscripts are a “horse of a different color”.
Unless the army makes it possible for hareidim to serve in the army without compromising on halacha (and that includes all branches of service, and the option to rise in the ranks), there will be great resentment.
Getting the hilonim to agree to allow hareidim to serve as equals, without making demands that are against halacha, will be challenging. Remember we are talking about an army where many male soldiers regard their female colleagues as “available”, and where the number of abortions on female soldiers exceeds by far the number of soldiers killed in combat. In the final analysis, the only solution that will avoid a problem is for the IDF to become frum, with special arrangements for accomodating the hilonim minority. This isn’t likely to happen.
“restore the Jewish neshama to the nation.” What a great battlecry!! We wish you good luck.
Akuperma, on the contrary. Demographic and service trends show that it will happen. Moreover, evrybody knows that most Chareidi boys are not suited for sitting and learning all day. MK Gafni implied publically what everyone says privately – there is a problem ion the Chareidi community because these boys do not have a socially acceptable (in ther communities) outlet. This is why there is at least tacit approval for the Nachal Chareidi. The introduction of Chareidi soldiers will influence the traditional (the majority of Israelis) soldiers and also many Chilonim. BTW, from where do you get your statistic on abortions?
There’s already a “system” that accommodates us. It’s called yeshiva and kollel.