In the chareidi camp the Bayit Yehudi party is not spoken of fondly after the Shaked Committee decided to implement criminal sanctions against chareidim who defy the draft law. In the left-wing camps the Bayit Yehudi party is perceived as a band of zealots that is sabotaging peace efforts with the PA (Palestinian Authority) and in mainstream Israeli camp there is a growing disdain for the hesder yeshivot, which until the Shaked Committee began trying to destroy Torah Jewry, represented a religious Zionist badge of honor that was well respected by most Israelis. However, as a result of Bayit Yehudi shooting itself in the foot, there are new realities today.
Many feel that despite good intentions, Naftali Bennett is a political novice who is blinded by his tenacious efforts to save yishuvim. His lack of Torah education leaves him vulnerable to the likes of Yair Lapid, resulting in his party signing a pact with the devil to remain in a pivotal position in the coalition government. His modern lifestyle and high tech success have led him to believe that he can see things others do not, blinded to the words of leading rabbonim in his community who continue waving red flags in his face – seeking to warn him of the consequences of his party’s actions.
Even left-wing icon Uri Avneri gets it, responding to the Shaked Committee decision to impose criminal sanctions. He referred to the dati leumi camp’s support of criminal sanctions as “your act of betrayal today”.
In an interview with Kikar Shabbos, Avneri, who is perceived as the leader of the “Gush Shalom” explains the chareidim must realize the right-wing has betrayed them and they should return to their natural home amid the left-wingers.
“I believe they must move to the peace camp in line with Toras Yisrael where they were in the past. The alliance between the chareidim and the right-wing always seemed strange to me. During the foundation of the religious Zionist movement – important rabbonim were opposed to Zionism. Herzl was cursed and suddenly, they are super Zionists and super patriots. To me it seems strange” commented Avneri.
“I believe they should have aligned with the left-wing some time ago and all the more so at present. It is clear. The right-wing has aligned – Bennett and Lapid at the expense of the chareidim” he concluded.
Avneri explains in his opinion the new draft law will not lead to the induction of chareidim but quite the opposite. “I would never have passed such a law” he explains, adding “I cannot speak for others but it is all empty talk. No one is entering the IDF. Chareidim will not comply so it’s all meaningless talk – empty works in the name of advancing party interests. There is no power in the world that is going to bring the chareidim into the IDF”.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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10 Responses
Most hareidim (myself excluded) are left-wing when it comes to economics – well left of Keynesian theory, typically favoring spending and welfare policies that would make an American Democrat blush. On economic matters, Shas is on the extreme left of the Israeli spectrum, and Yesh Atid on the extreme right.
With the frum community, the anti-zionist hareidim are againing influence over the pro-zionist hareidim. It would be easy to make common cause with the extreme secular left, since both will be opposed to the war and in particular opposed to conscription. Given that the advocates of ruling the West Bank are the ones who instituted the policy on conscription, it is easy for hareidi to ally with the Israeli peace movement. Indeed, since hareidim will end up prefering a Muslim government that tolerate yeshivos over a Zionist one that persecutes hareidim, the hareidi are to left of the “peace camp.”
Well, apukerma, delusional,as usual ! Hareidim who ‘prefer a Muslim goverment that tolerates yeshivos”.Yeah, sure! till they cut your heads off! This fantasy is so extreme that it must be a Purim torah!
As far as your interpretation of the economic beliefs of the hareidim- yup ,just bleed the public dry as long as you get your money! Shas are greedy money grabbers and ,very sadly, many other Hareidim seem to follow this non-Torahdik way!
Number 1. i had to reread your last sentence about a muslim government as being the preferred residence of most charedim. aside fro its errant stupidity thankfuly it represents the views of one— you. As I have suggested in the past you should visit Ramalleh and live in Gaza where you will last less than a day.
Given the choice of:
1) A government of people who are ethnically but not religiously Jews, who ban learning Torah, and throw people in prison for learning in yeshiva – but who give all Jews full civil rights, except for those who are too frum.
2) A government of goyim who have no objection to Jews doing mitsvos and learning in yeshiva, and who give all Jews the same level of civil rights that the State of Israel offers to non-zionist hareidim.
Most Hareidim will end up preferring the latter. If this ticks you off, then give up your idea of mass conscription of haredim. If you aren’t able to co-exist in a country with Jews who see Torah and Mitsvos as the focal point of their existence, you may end up losing your country.
While I disagree with being under Arab rule, I wonder how Rabbi Berlin and commentator 3 and any right wingers answer this question:
How does the right wing justify giving a 20 billion sheckel tax cut to Teva, while starving low income secular and religious Jews(throught cutting child allowances). How cruel and inhumane. ASSUR!
These actions are unjustified$ in the world of emes. I am not left, but that is wrong.
I mean suffer throught an inhumane child allowance cut.
#1- Being that you describe yourself as chareidi, clearly the definition of a chareidi is a person who sits and watches the internet all day long. And while not personally obligated to learn a word of Torah, that person’s job is to criticize those who might prevent others from learning the Torah he himself could care less about. Correct?
I suppose in some twisted way, you see yourself as doing a public service.
Apukerma I’m sure you are aware that that the majority of Torah Observant Jews have thrived in Israel under the current system to point where they are become a significant minority. Israel now boasts the largest and most respected torah institution, the lowest intermarriage rate and highest birthrate for jews anywhere. The US comes in a distant second and yet arab dominated country you long from would not even remotely compare to that reality.
You are making a good theoretical argument but the reality would be closer to what the Jews of Iran or better yet Iraq. One lives in fear and other was dismantled.
If we don’t look out for each other the other will come for us as history has always proven.
Torah Jews don’t put their faith in “Left” or “Right.” Only in HKBH and His Torah. The Right (or the Bennett Right) wants to draft them. The Left wants toievah marriages.
Where chareidim stand economically is complicated. The typical Willie welfare guy wants govt spending. The gvir doesn’t.
ShHaNa: In the past Jews thrived in Eretz Yisrael. The percentage learning Torah was a record. Frum Jews typically spent years in yeshiva, and were actually subsidized by the Medinah. For all purposes, people who were learning were exempt from military service.
Now a new king has come to power and the policy has changed.
You are describing an Eretz Yisrael that is no more.
It is quite possible that many hareidim will dream about the previous era. Many German and Spanish Jews talked of the periods immediately before the destruction of their communities as “golden eras.”
It is possible that the zionists will do tseuvah. We can always hope so. Sometimes evil decrees are cancelled. But until that happens, we must deal with what is (an anti-Torah regime), not what was, or might be.