As the arrests of talmidei yeshivos are underway, albeit in small numbers, the head of the Association for the Welfare of Torani Soldiers has sent a letter to the Office of the State Comptroller citing issues pertaining to the incarceration of chareidim.
Eliyahu Lacks sent a letter to State Comptroller Justice Yosef Shapira in which he explains IDF Prison 6, where the talmidim are being held is not appropriate for a chareidi prisoner. Lacks is seeking the establishment of a monitoring committee to oversee the treatment of chareidim that are inducted into the military as well as those who refuse to serve and are sent to jail.
Maariv reports that in his letter Lacks addresses the inequality when it comes to religious soldiers as compared to their non religious counterparts. He feels their most basic individual rights are being ignored and violated. He explains that in the civilian prison system “there is equality” towards accommodating religious prisoners, a Torani Wing has been established for these prisoners. Such a reality is lacking in the IDF prison system.
Lacks cites the ever present odor from lavatories prohibits davening as one should. Other issues raised in the letter include the lack of modesty in military prison along with problems surrounding the kashrus of the meals, the presence of television the total lack of modesty in the shower facilities.
The State Comptroller’s Office responds, explaining it will study and probe the allegations and only then will a response be forthcoming.
Maariv adds the Office of the IDF Spokesman states it has probed the issues raised in the letter and they have been found to lack any basis in fact and that any issue that is raised is addressed by officers and personnel in the military police. The response concludes that representatives of the IDF Rabbinate are constantly conducting inspection in the prison system as well.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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10 Responses
The mind boggles at the chutzpah! Soldiers in the IDF go through hell in the service of the defense of Am Yisrael and this whining brat is complaining that his prison cell prison isn’t cushy enough for him?! Put him in solitary confinement for the duration of his stay.
Lack of modesty in the showers? How is it any worse than the mikva where a lot worse happens.
These guys are in a military prison for having broken military law not the Park Hyatt. The conditions are prison conditions not luxury hotel conditions.
1. They probably should be refusing to eat anything cooked. There is no possibility of serious kashrus since they ahve no way of ever inspecting the kitchen.
2. Remember the idea is to break them. As stakes get higher, e.g. when the Hareidim try to get the Red Cross to conduct visits, or ask international human rights groups to sanction Israel for violating international human rights standards, conditions will get worse. This is a war, and they are in an enemy prison.
This entire affair is unfortunate.
Did individuals think before hand what jail-time would consist of? Usually accommodations are not what are expected or up to par for a ben-Torah.
Let me get this straight – chareidim refused to follow the law, so they were arrested and put in prison. Once in prison, they complain because it doesn’t suit their lifestyle.
There’s a disconnect here that they’re not getting – if you don’t violate the law, you won’t get arrested, and you won’t end up in prison. See how easy that was to figure out?
Baruch Hashem there are a number of posters who can think clearly. You break the law, you go to jail and shut up. Period. Don’t like it? Leave the country.
I don’t know what planet Akueprma is on with his constant refrain about “international human rights standards”. The day any country will care about Jews’ human rights being violated, will be the day Moshiach comes.
Reply to No.4.
At this point, I’m not sure anyone can take seriously someone who thinks its a violation of human rights to keep prisoer in a facility where the bathroom smell disrupts his kavanah, the prisoner doesn’t get to wear both Rashi and Rabeinu Tam teffilin, he is forced to use coed showers, or the chulent doesn’t have Eidah hashgacha. I first thought you were being sarcastic and then realized you were giving these naresh complaints legitimacy. He is entitled to show his disagreement with the draft law by engaging in civil disobedience but when you take that path, there are consequences, not all of which are necessarily pleasant or conducive to your hashkafah.
From most of the posters on emust conlude that you are not benei torah and have no connection to torah. These Yeshiva Boys are following the guidance of the Gedolei Yisroel from previous generationsand the ones with us today. Everyone knows there is no need for yeshiva boys in the army, the direct purpose of forcing young yeshiva boys to go to the army is to wipe out religous jews (the torah way) from the State Of Israel. This will not happen in past generations enemies of torah tried to eructate religous jews and the one above saved us, the same will happen now, torah will live and grow in Ertetz Yisroel, it will outlive Lapid & Bennet.
These yesiva boys have not violated any laws they are obeying the laws of the toah, hashem should give them strength.
#8:
“I’m not sure anyone can take seriously someone who thinks its a violation of human rights to keep prisoer in a facility where the bathroom smell disrupts his kavanah”
You call yourself “Gadol Ha-What???”
We’re not talking about kavanah, which is sort of important too, but a basic issue to daven where the odor is present. Check it it out in Shulchan Aruch, if you know how to read, you hating an haaretz!
And to all the other self-hating Jewish anti-semites: muslim prisoners that killed Jews receive basic rights in prison. Thieves and other murderers do as well.
Just because you look upon these people as second or third class humans, it doesn’t mean they shouldn’t too.
It’s enough to be incarcerated.
You never know in the future when you might end up in a prison yourselves even for a erroneous charge and for a few hours. And when you’ll be treated in this manner you’ll eat your words. Probably because you will be given nothing else to eat….