“The days and nights that you have been learning others have been watching over you. Now it’s your turn” stated Kadima leader Shaul Mofaz on Wednesday night, the eve of 22 Tammuz 5772 in an event he attended with chareidim in Yerushalayim.
Mofaz remains firm in his position that 80% of the draft eligible chareidi tzibur must serve in the IDF or a state-approved national service. Sanctions must be leveled against individuals that do not comply with the law.
“We are now formulating the law, we have progressed, and this is a last attempt and if agreement is not reached, we [Kadima] will not remain partners in the coalition.
Mofaz called on the chareidi participants to “support the bill, familiarize yourselves with it, support serving in the IDF and becoming an integral part of the Israeli society. There is a place for emunah but in Israel, we must all serve the state. We have proven it is possible to serve, to wear olive colored uniforms and to continue with your emunas Hashem. The bottom line is that this is a positive process, it’s reality, and the outcome will be the true judge”.
“Your lifestyles will be preserved” Mofaz promised, as he explained implementation of the law will be gradual. I did not come chas v’sholom to fight the chareidim. I am on your side. This is a historic process. If we do not succeed to reach agreement now it will be much more difficult in the 15 coming years because there will not be a coalition permitting this. The goals that we set in place take your position into consideration and they are achievable. The State of Israel cannot permit herself to run a paid army”.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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19 Responses
All he would have to do is make the army “frum friendly” and the problem would go away. That means all units keep strict kashrus and Shabbos. That means all units require modest clothing, prohibit sexual behaivor while on a base or on duty (including a ban on yihud and negiah), require all units to arrange a work schedule based on frum needs (i.e. the seculars can have extra free time when the Jews daven, as opposed to offering a choice between davening and breakfast). Just turn the army into a giant Hesder unit. Most frum Jews are far more nationalistic than their rabbanim, and given a choice, most would be affluent baal ha-batim if offered an opportunity – but the ticket to entering the Israeli bourgeoise is army service, and the price of that ticket is compromising on Torah and Mitsvos, and that price is one a Jew will never pay.
But even if Mofaz, who is from a traditional background, might think these are good ideas – the bulk of the hiloni elite would be horrified. Remember the movement to draft the yeshiva students is not motivated by a manpower shortage – it is purely and exclusively a frontal assault in the drive to make Israel a land free from the yoke of Torah. The Arabs only want our land, the Hilonim want our souls, and on that we can have no compromise.
I would very much like to know how they plan to accommodate the Chareidi lifestyle…
Absolutely true.
“…others have been watching over you…”
…And who has been watching over the watchers, Mr. Mofaz?
Mofaz says: “I am on your side.”
Don’t believe him. He is a politician, a mercenary looking out only for his own good. I remember him lying to Chacham HaRav Ovadia Yosef in 2005 when he was chief of staff, that it’s safe to pull out of Gush Katif. He knew it wasn’t safe. Then he also said “I am on your side.” He is a snake.
Ha! Mofaz talking about Emunas Hashem! What does that fool know about emuna besides the fact that he is completely lacking it?
when you guys went to war…. there was thousands davening and learning that all the guys would come back home to safety!!!!
What a rasha
Punkt farkert
What a fool.the chofetz Chaim once told a group of wealthy men when they tried raising money for beds in a hospital that because Bnei Torah are learning we need a lot less beds so who’s watching over who? The lomdei Torah are the ones who are watching over the soldiers day and night.
for a change i agree with every word
Here the NEW/old tactic: Talk NICE! Try and fool the chareidim “we are on your side” (funny if they are on “our side” who’s on the other side?)
NO ONE should serve in this army even non yeshiva guys and even our brothers the chilonim!!! Besides the torah aspect and the yeshiva issue, this army is dangerous for all its soldiers, since their leaders would rather preserve their outside image and preserve the enemies houses, properties and wifes and children on the expanse of the precious lives of own soldiers. Outrageous!!!!!
How can you convince secular Israels to continue spilling their blood, while they see the Charedim spared?
#13 AZOI.IS: The same way you can get then to fulfil the purpose they were created for – by being MEKAREV them!
Remember that most of the army are not in combat units. Are we going to force everyone to join combat units to share the burden? A majority of the soldiers in combat are religious. So that comment about blood etc. is off the mark.
Mr Mofaz you were frum, you threw off your kippa at 17, you hate frum people, please don’t lie, even if it proves worthwhile from a political respective. You know more about religion then Bibi who was never frum, please cut the baloughni. Mr Mofaz your going to be history one the elections are over.
Ido, we can try to be Mekarev and we do, but we cant force Kiruv.
Anyhow if the bulk of the Israeli population becomes Charedi, will Israel instantly no longer need an army?
We cant tell the Chilonim- you risk your life and fight and ossibly die for me, and the ones who survive, survived in the merit of our learning.
What about the ones who died, in whose merit was that?
“A majority of the soldiers in combat are religious. So that comment about blood etc. is off the mark”.
Claiming Kipah wearers/Black Hats/Chassidim enlist in the army, without the stats on how the figures line up with their percentage of the population in Israel, is meaningless.
He is absolutely correct ! The reality on the ground is that we need an army. Its not for us to decide who should attend the army. The learners will learn even more and the losers will finally do something with their lives.