Thousands of yeshiva students in recent weeks have received letters informing them that they have been exempt from military service.
The letters were sent following the Charedi draft reform approved by the government earlier this year. A military official confirmed the details to Ynet.
The newly discharged men are yeshiva students over the age of 28, or younger yeshiva students who have at least three children.
Simultaneously, the government informed Charedim over the age of 28 engaged in civilian service that they may end their service. Their names were transferred to the list of reserve soldiers.
Until the reform, most yeshiva students were in the status of “delayed service” under the “Torah is their profession” policy, and were expected to be discharged only at a later age and after meeting strict conditions related to their marital status and number of children.
The exemptions were given after a team headed by Prime Minister’s Office Director-General Eyal Gabai suggested setting a target of about 5,000 people for Charedi men’s service for 2015.
According to Gabai’s plan, yeshiva students aged 22 and up, married or single, would be exempt from military service if they engaged in civilian service for one year, men aged 26 would be allowed to serve for a shortened three-month period, and men aged 28 would be exempt from any military service.
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
5 Responses
With heightened security needs and unemployment high, it is clear that nonetheless the government simply does need us; there have plenty in the ranks. Enough with the “they don’t want to serve” rhetoric. Better the “Shaarei Yerushalayim” be filled than the sh’vakim with yoshvei kranos.
If it were up to me, i say if you dont do army do national service if you dont do either, you dont vote.
Rosh cham starts with “if it were up to me, I say.” Thank god its not up to him. His username is truly misleading.
The Israeli army doesn’t need soldiers who are hard to utilize, unenthusiastic and of dubious loyalty. Modern armies require a small number of highly motivated and well trained soldiers. That is why almost all countries have given up on conscription, and the few who still do so are more concerned with maintaining social control rather than defense.
Charedim are of “dubious loyalty”? I question the credentials and integrity of anyone making such an offensive statement. I am a reserves paramedic in an IDF combat unit. No one ever questioned my loyalties and had no reason to do so. IDF, with all its shortfalls is a people’s army, it’s the Jewish army, the best that we have in the circumstances. And there is room for charedim if IDF extends itself to accommodate their needs.