The mainstream newspapers on Tuesday, 7 Elul 5773 are reporting that while the coalition speaks of sharing the burden and drafting bnei yeshivos into the IDF, the military, in a paradoxical move is cutting funding to Nachal Chareidi. The funding cuts appear to be connected to the new recent harsh budgetary realities being faced by the IDF.
In this case the cuts pertain to the third and final year of service for the frum soldiers, the year in which they are offered vocational training or an opportunity to complete their high school matriculation diploma. The reports cite the ‘year’ is being cut down to eight months of training in a cost-saving measure.
Commanders in Nachal Chareidi are quoted anonymously questioning the wisdom of the move, which they feel will lower motivation and further complicate efforts to bring chareidim into the IDF. They explain the training year is a big incentive for the soldiers, who realize it will assist them in finding a place in mainstream society after being discharged from the army. Therefore, cutting the program, even in part, will have a profound negative impact on induction.
Adding to the confusion is an official statement released by military officials denying that any such cut is planned for Nachal Chareidi.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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3 Responses
Assuming this report is true, can anyone tell me why the army insists on drafting Haredim, depite the fact that General Gantz wants to cut 20 billion sheckels from the budget.
Based on this fact,how do Ziongate, Gadol hador, Zionflag, and Rabbi of Berlin justify the current Israeli government will bankrupting itself$$ to ensure that Yeshiva students are forced to join and not
Study torah. (Assuming they want to pursue Torah Study and not join).
It’s IDF economic suicide!
What is so confusing?
The secular government has no intention of reinforcing Chareidi lifestyle in the IDF. The nachal chareidi is a fake initiative intended to fool the chareidi public to lower their guard against secular indoctrination and assimilation, which is the real goal of the whole effort.
I believe this might indicate that the editors of YWN don’t know what a paradox (well, it shows they got the yeshiva world’s equivalent of an English education).
If the goal of the hilonim was to recruit loyal frum soldiers, it would be a paradox to draft bnei yeshiva while cutting back funding for both Nahal Hareidi and the Hesder program. However since the goal of their policies is to destroy the Torah community and make Israeli into a secular state, the home of the Am Hofshi (liberated people) who are free from the yoke of Torah – these policies are totally consistent – and not paradoxical.