A new study by Dr. Asaph Malchi from the Israel Center for Democracy claims that the majority of Charedim entered the IDF for financial reasons.
The study says that the majority of enlisted Charedim in the IDF look at the step as advancing their personal and professional lives and that is the sole reason for their enlistment. They do not feel that service in the military is some sort of nationalistic ideal or serving the country. The IDF prepares them for the working world and gives them skills so that they could earn a higher salary.
Malchi also claimed that in 2018 in order to get into mainstream Israeli society, one had to go through the IDF. Therefore, the issue of Charedim enlisting in the military has become a question of extreme importance in Israel.
“Chareidi men see military service as a spring board into Israeli society and the workforce. Changes in the cultural and financial situation of Chareidi society have brought about a sharp rise in the number of charedim who join the IDF in the last decade. Today, close to 7,000 chareidi soldiers serve in the IDF.”
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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5 Responses
Kol hakavod.
Some stay in kollel and send out thier wives to work for financial reasons, others go the college for financial reasons, while many join the idf for financial reasons..
Each to thier own
This is tragic. Klal Yisroel should provide financial assistance to these unfortunate brethren of ours so that they should not be compelled to join this iniquitous unsanctified armed forces.
This sounds like a positive development for Chareidim, the IDF, and Israeli society. The Chareidim improve their parnassah, the IDF gets soldiers, and Israeli society, through IDF veterans, learn more about some Chareidim. If any of the Chareidim in the IDF include Chabadniks, they no doubt encourage their fellow soldiers to put on tefillin and do other mitzvahs.
This is giving up Yiddishkeit & Religion for possible financial gains.
It’s not much better than working on Shabbos or doing other prohibitions for the sake of parnossoh.
Parnossoh comes min Hashomayim and there is no necessity nor hetter to sacrifice any part of our religion however minor for the sake of Hishtadlus for parnossoh.
This is a very serious matter, which must get approval from a competent Daas Torah!
“in order to get into mainstream Israeli society” this is exactly the danger! Thousands of chareidim manage to bring home decent parnossoh without getting into mainstream Israeli – read SECULAR – society.