There are a growing number of protests taking place in response to the incarceration to chareidi talmidim who refuse to report to IDF induction centers. One of the protests involved 70 elders of the Eida Chareidis, who gathered to protest the government’s actions. They recited Tehillim and displayed signs against IDF service.
They reaffirmed their willingness to be moser nefesh to oppose any effort to compel them and their children and followers to serve in the IDF.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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6 Responses
When will they be moser nefesh to seek gainful employment, and stop depending on lifelong, Israeli taxpayer funded welfare payments?
The Israels should not only leave them alone (no penal sanctions other than not subsidizing their yeshivos), and proudly show the world how Israel deals with those opposed to their military in contrast to the Palestinians who shoot anyone not enthusiastic about prosecuting the war with Israel.
If the Israelis throw hareidim in jail for being uber-doves, it will be a serious disaster in terms of Israel’s image abroad, since it would emphasize that there are super-unassimilated Jews who opposed the Medinah, which contradicts that zionist view that those opposed to the Medinah are either assimilated Jews or traditional anti-Semites.
When accused of war crimes so far Israel can always publicize that they don’t target civilians and that the Palestinians in fact are the ones using human shields and tagetting Israel (and Jew abroad) non-combattants, but how will Israel respond when accused of persecuting people opposed to fighting a war due to their religious convictions (which also violates human rights laws).
Israel loses nothing by ignoring hareidim opposed to the war. Few secular Jews will give up access to government funded higher education in order to avoid the military. The army doesn’t need hareidi soldiers, and if they get any their loyalty will always be suspect (unlike those who volunteer, i.e. the “Hardal”, whose loyalty is reliable but whose excessive enthusiasm is often a problem).
Civil disobedience is eminently gainful if (and only if) it is part of a larger
campaign
Where are/have been their mouthpieces?
A number of decades back, during the Vietnam war, there was a draf in the U.S.A. All “frum” yidden signed up for the draft and then took advantage of the loopholes (4-D) to avoid the draft. The upshot was that many bochurim that may have not gone on to bais medrash after high school did.
The Netanyahu Government really doesn’t want to draft the Yeshiva bochurim. The law has loopholes big enough to drive a truck through. The Govt. had to pass a law that drafts the bochurim. so they did so, but put in enough loopholes sso they could stay out. Instead of playing along, these bochurim who refuse to register are only hurting themselves and others for no reason.
It is easier to protest and hide in the beis medresh then prepare boys for going out into the world and remaining strong.
Something is deeply wrong with charadi education if they can not go out into the world to make a living, fight the yetzer, and be a role model for the non-religious.
Charadi chinuch is missing something…
#1 Spouting your ignorance is self defeating
The Eidah REFUSES to accept money from the State.