Why do the Charedim have such an issue serving for 17 months? If they did what is currently in place for the hesder program. Nobody is telling them that they will be unable to engage in full time limud torah afterward, but just do the time necessary and be done.
Forget about any propaganda, I suspect the leadership is afraid that many would leave the Charedi Lifestyle if given a choice. Normally a choice is not given but the army would allow a way out.
zahavasdad- Have you never heard of people that are formerly chareidi? Imagine being offered seventeen free months of education in a field of your choice- would you say I’d rather not because what’s seventeen months going to help me anyhow? The chareidim view this as seventeen months free education on why not to be chareidi. That’s enough time for someone that was happy until not to become not so sure.
The Bain Hazmanim is getting shorter and shorter and more and more Rabbim are telling the Bochrim that Bain Hazmanin doesnt mean “vacation” and tell them to learn more and more during Bein Hazmanim.
Pretty soon Bein Hazmanim will be no different than a Zman