Not all chareidim decried this week’s High Court of Justice ruling eliminating chareidi draft deferments from IDF service. Former Shas MK Rabbi Chaim Amsellem, founder of the Am Shalem party, praised the court for “restoring the nation to sanity”.
Amsellem feels the ruling comes at a time in which chareidim simply refuse to address the matter of Jewish identity and giyur, and the need to see views outside the framework of the chareidi world. He explains that while the “Zionist parties” are aware the decision is not good for the state or Am Yisrael, they remain silent because of coalition considerations. He cites that the minority (chareidim) have been controlling the majority (non-chareidim) for too long and this most recent ruling is a step in the correct direction.
Amsellem turns to Bayit Yehudi, which he reminds us he joined two years ago, calling on party leadership which holds IDF service near and dear to their hearts to act appropriately. He feels those who view IDF service as a mitzvah to act in line with these beliefs. Amsellem calls on them to proudly announce their true opinion after the court canceled the “discriminatory law”, namely the IDF deferments for chareidi bnei torah.
He feels there are too many yeshivos today for persons who neither study or work and this has to stop. Amsellem calls on those “Really learning” to continue but feels for as long as the IDF is willing to continue accommodating the chareidi lifestyle, the others should serve in one form or another – IDF service of Sheirut Leumi in an accepted agency.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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2 Responses
but feels for as long as the IDF is willing to continue accommodating the chareidi lifestyle, the others should serve in one form or another – IDF service of Sheirut Leumi in an accepted agency.
I agree that if your not learning then serve, ,but to say that the IDF tries to accommodate the charade lifestyle that is absurd.
“Not all chareidim decried this week’s High Court ruling eliminating chareidi draft deferments”
Someone who masquerades in Chareidi garb, but is patently anti-Chareidi in his ideology cannot be considered Chareidi. So Amsallem cannot be counted as a “dissenting Chareidi.”
His hashkafic missteps a few years ago have left him in the political wilderness. In the public arena, he is a non-entity. Seculars and dati-leumi don’t accept him, and the Chareidi community surely detests his impudent remarks against Rav Ovadia zt”l. So, from time to time, he vents his frustrations and when certain topics come to the media’s attention, he barks. Don’t see why YWN should even report his pathetic remarks altogether.