At an assembly of supporters for his new political party, Yesh Atid, Yair Lapid told participations “I thank you for agreeing with my dream, and that is why you are here”.
Lapid’s dream is simply to bring an end to the study of torah in Eretz Yisrael, to empty the beis medrash and compel talmidim to enter the IDF and “share the national burden”.
He made reference to the Tal Law, which will not be renewed, emphasizing the need to make the chareidi draft the primary election race issue, expressing his unwillingness to permit an entire tzibur to side step doing its share towards undertaking a portion of the national defense/security burden.
The political novice explained “Everyone is in agreement, that there must be a revamped Tal Law, a new model, but no one really knows what that model should be. No one has put forward a serious solution, one that will be acceptable. Serving in the IDF is a privilege that makes us better people”.
“Both Likud and Yisrael Beitenu voted for the Tal Law in the past, bringing the nation to social and economic doom. All of them, those who are outraged today, raised their hands to vote in favor of Tal year after year – voting to grant a deferment from military service to an entire sector. In essence, what they said is ‘what is important to us is keeping the coalition afloat’”.
“We must explain to chareidim that we can no longer accept this socially and economically. It is splitting us as a people and creates obscene phenomenon such as dodging [the draft]. The middle class has been carrying the chareidim for many years, but cannot support tens of thousands of yeshiva students any longer, those who do not join the workforce”.
“They cannot be relied upon and the only times parties realize there is a problem regarding the service model is during times like now because they smell elections in the air. They sat down and quickly wrote a plan, plans that are hasty and not serious, plans lacking a comprehensive solution to the problem”.
Lapid continues to explain his platform, his model, which he feels is simple, everyone must serve. “No one should lie to the chareidim. We don’t hate them but we simply cannot endure any longer. They will get it. You can rely on them. They are intelligent and involved and they understand exactly what is taking place”.
Lapid continued, turning to the Israeli Arab population as well. “The model includes you as well; all citizens must carry the security/defense burden equally. I call upon you to find a way to integrate via a national service program”.
“We are not looking to bring tanks to Bnei Brak but we do want to empty the yeshivos of the cowards and those who are idle. The yeshivos have become prison and they are supposed to be a place where torah is studied, not a prison in which the IDF is the warden”.
Lapid envisions the establishment of a national authority within five years to oversee a national service program. Every youth will report to this service at the age of 18, secular, chareidi or Arabs, and this entity will determine who is suited for military service and who will be enlisted in the national service program as an alternative. “The IDF must decide on the manpower it requires. There is no reason such a plan is not implemented”.
Shas responded harshly, releasing the following statement. “Mr. Lapid, we don’t hate you but the tzibur can no longer tolerate your hypocrisy. If you would only have taken the time to learn the facts you would know those who sit and learn do not receive special government grants. The overwhelming majority of the religious/traditional tzibur does serve in the IDF, in combat and elite units while you hide behind old newspapers like the BaMachane Magazine. Try for once to do it correctly without running educational scams”.
The comments by Shas refer to Lapid’s mandatory military service, which he did as a correspondent for the military magazine. Regarding educational scams, this refers to the recent storm over Lapid’s registering for a doctorate program when he has never earned his master’s degree.
Activists manning the Jerusalem “Sucker’s Tent” call Lapid’s plan “a disaster” calling for the immediate drafting of chareidim and Arabs alike, without delay.
It is imperative to attempt to portray the national media spotlight is focusing on chareidi draft, almost uniquely regarding election issues. The morning news magazine radio programs are dedicating major chunks of time to interview people regarding this issue alone and there can be no doubt that the future of torah yiddishkheit as it exists in Eretz Yisrael today is in jeopardy.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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17 Responses
Is there something “news” here. Is there a “hiddush” I seem to have missed. Don’t tell me you didn’t realize this until now!
ה’ ימלוך לעולם ועד
Why is it a “War on Yeshivot” to support legislation whereby everyone shares in the defense of EY, whether through by enlisting in the IDF or approved public service jobs such as working in schools, hospitals or public facilities. The charedei rabbonim have never explained why their boys and girls cannot take a year or two out to provide such public service. If this is a war on yeshivos, than approximately 73 percent of Israelis are at war against the Chareidim.
Here’s my plan (if an uneducated yukel like Lapid can have a “plan”, so can I)
1. Eliminate the Draft, period.
2. Anyone who chooses to serve in the army get’s their university education paid for.
3. Anyone who serves in the army is eligible for an accelerated college track, for example, 4 years of schooling will be rearranged in to 3.
4. Anyone who did not serve in the army, may not seek fulltime employment without completing 1 year of national service.
5. Give employers a 1 year break on payroll taxes for the first year of employment of someone who served.
The end result is,
1. anyone who serves 3 years in the army, will enter the workforce only 1 year later than someone who did not.
2. anyone who served in the army will have a significant financial advantage by not having to pay for nigher education.
3. employers will will want to employ someone who serve because a) they are better disciplined, b) they are cheaper to employ.
4. charedim will be able to join the workforce.
5. the arab sector will contribute to society.
6. most importantly, the kvechting about the army will stop.
“The charedei rabbonim have never explained why their boys and girls cannot take a year or two out to provide such public service.”
And if they would give their reasons, would that make you happier? I doubt it. So then why do you need a reason? Are the Chazon Ish’s statements about giyos banos being yaharog v’al ya’vor good enough for you? Apparently not, you still want the girls to serve. So why should the “charedei rabbonim” waste their time responding to your ilk?
What about Frum Jews in all the other countries that have mandatory army?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_service
Do you think serving in Israel and protecting Jews is worse than serving in any of those countries.
Yair don’t be an ingrate.You know the Haredi Torah learners are carrying YOU and not the other way around. There wouldn’t even be a Jewish Hebrew speaking Yair or Ehud or Arik if not for your Talmud learning grandparents. Stop biting the hand that’s feeding your wayward soul.
#4- but how would your plan further the zionist goal of uprooting traditional Judaism and creating a people free form the yoke of Torah? It’s like people who come when disussing “Alternative history” with a way for the Germans to win World War II by being nice to Jews – what you think is a bug, they think is a feature.
#6- Very few frum Jews live in the few countries with compulsory military service (and the handful of countries with a draft tend to created numerous exceptions). In the United States, an Orthodox Jew who tries to enlist will typically be told he has to choose between compromising on Yiddishkeit (e.g shaving, having to improvise on kashrut) or being rejected as not suitable for military service – and when the USA had conscription, it exempted yeshiva students. While there were exceptions (such as in Russia), most of the countries that have drafted frum Jews did not see the destruction of Torah Judaism as a reason for drafting Jews, and indeed, if the IDF were to run all its units the way the handful of frum units are run, there would be far fewer problems.
#6, all other countries would not put up with the Israeli Chareidim’s behavior.
alexfromny, it’s much worse in Israel than in other countries because Israel is “post-Jewish”, whereas other countries not only respect but actually accommodate religion. Israel is a Zionist, not Jewish, State.
#3, bnei torah are sharing in the defense of EY, much more than Yair Lapid did with his journalism. It’s his refusal to accept that, and yours, that is the problem here. Because he and you are apikorsim.
#9 – The United States always managed to avoid conscripting people whose religious life style would be incompatible with the military. One thing a successful military depends on is social coesion (yes some countries had militaries without it, such as Imperial Russia and Austro-Hungary), and a that limits the extent that a military can reflect social and cultural diversity. Americans (other than frei Jews) have great respect for religion in general, and find it unAmerican to throw someone in jail over a religious matter. The US would not “put up” with the Israeli Hareidim’s behavior – the would, and do, accept it as part of the religious diversity that American value. In Israel it clashes with the “freedom from religion” of the secular elites, and that is the ikar of the problem.
Every democratic country has a deferment or an exemption of full time seminary students of any denomination. They recognize the need for the spiritual part not to be compromised. We see the Torah telling us that even in war, 1/3 must stay behind to daven and learn. Eretz Yisroel should not be zoche to that level of respect for Torah Eretz Yisroel should not be zoche to the Shemira? are we ready to risk our sons on the front lines without teh protection of those seriously learning? Yes, Take those who aren’t and place them in frum units, but empty ourselves of the real ammo?
#12 and # 13, other countries with a draft would not put up with such a large percentage of people not serving. The US would not have given exemptions to a ton of seminary students. And i am not talking about Poland or Russia — there, it would be much worse.
akuperma:
Dunno if you read that part of the site, but you probably don’t want to miss this:
http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/coffeeroom/topic/akuperma
Yair Lapid is the son of Tommy (tumma) Lapid the former Meretz leader and agitator against the religious. The only difference between him and his father is that Yair is more handsome and knows how to talk hence he is more dangerous.
#14, the number of chilonim who don’t serve is about equal to the number of charedim.