Yeshiva bochur Yaakov Yisrael Paz is completing a 10-day jail term for draft dodging. He was arrested after a routine check signaled police that he is wanted by military authorities for not responding to two draft notices. Paz explained he was simply adhering to the words of rabbonim, who announced bnei yeshivos should not cooperate with draft officials.
The talmid’s mother, Mrs. Anat Paz spoke with Kikar Shabbos on Wednesday 17 Adar II. She explained “I am davening and counting the days until he is released.” Mrs. Paz is confident her son will endure the difficult ordeal, explaining he is a good boy and is not fragile but well in tune to what he believes in.
She adds that “I am sorrow but as a rule I try not grumble against others but if someone did strike us and this blow comes from the politicians – for our elite believes limud Torah is not the correct thing, that it is unnecessary and it is better to be in the army”.
Mrs. Paz believes the lack of segregation of the chareidi tzibur from the general population led to this, speaking of where the chareidim are today. “I think that in some way it comes from us, the chareidim and I am sorry to say it. I think it comes from the fact that we are not strong enough and that we are not sufficiently differentiated as it was in the past. Today we are ‘the chareidi tzibur’ a bit more accepted, a bit more open and a bit more open to seeing the world, and this is our problem”.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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12 Responses
Well said, Rebt. Paz.
“I am sorrow but as a rule I try not grumble against others but if someone did strike us and this blow comes from the politicians – for our elite believes limud Torah is not the correct thing, that it is unnecessary and it is better to be in the army”.
Does YWN have an editor? This statement is incomprehensible.
So far, Israel has adopted the idea that the military does what the civilian leadership tells it to. Blame the politicians (the Likud, Yesh Atid, and the religious zionists)l. The soldiers, even the generals, shouldn’t be blamed. They are just following orders.
Kol hakavod to this bachur. May there be many more heroes in Yisrael with such strong emunat tzaddikim.
(And to YL who said in another report that he was arrested for drunk driving is a liar. He was drunk but didn’t drive. Being motzi shem ra in order to slander charedim will not make yeshiva boys join the army.)
icantbelieveimpostingonywn : Was she speaking English or Hebrew?
Elite is Israeli “code-word” for the upper class secular Ashkenazim (such as Lapid and Netanyahu, Bennett is just a wannabee) who rule Israel as an upper class (verging on an upper caste). She is saying the Israeli elite don’t think Torah is important, and that being in the army is important.
To 5. Ya I can put in the effort to figure it out too. However as an English language website it is kind of amateurish to print a hodgepodge translation of a statement full of ambiguous pronouns without brackets to indicate what they are referencing.
Kol hakavod to the IDF for arresting a law-breaker and slacker. However, his mother is correct about not being differentiated enough. If they do not want the responsibilities of citizenship they should give up the benefits, such as welfare allowances.
#7 and they should also keep the taxes for their own yeshivot and families in need.
“their taxes”
While I do feel bad for the mother I find it hard to feel bad for the son. If it is so important for him to be learning and not serve in the army then he should be learning. There is no excuse to be drunk on a regular Monday (shushan purim outside yerushalaim is just a regular monday) when you should be in seder.
While everyone is entitled to their opinion including this Mother.
But What does arresting her son for draft law have to do with the fact that today we are more open to the world?? Oh.. so now it gets our fault, let’s apologize to the IDF and let’s call for a massive demonstration Against the Chareidim. its our fault!
Jewish reason: Shushan Purim outside Yerushalayim is NOT just a regular Monday. It is a holiday and yeshivos are not in session. There is no seder. Many people have family and friends in Yerushalayim and celebrate both days. The bochur did nothing wrong except for his political sin of being charedi.