Elvil Hager, a 24-year-old yeshiva Vishnitz avreich, was arrested on his way out of Israel heading to Toronto, Canada on Tuesday night. He was transferred to military police where he spent the night in a military prison.
Hager asked to join the group of the Rebbe for a week of chizuk amidst the kehilla in Toronto, but the border control found that he had been listed as a deserter for more than five years.
Hager is now expected to be brought before a military judge who will serve his sentence. The assessment among the askanim is that due to the fact that this is a lengthy evasion of several years, the punishment will be relatively severe.
The rebbe took off from Switzerland, where he spent last week, heading to Toronto where he will spend the coming days – hoping to raise money for the chassidus.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
31 Responses
Actions have consequences. People need to learn from their own experience, and sometimes from the experiences of others.
what did this avreich think?
Hopefully, his prison term will serve as a deterrent to others who evade their legal responsibility. I think in EY, the term “deserter” is used broadly to describe someone who deliberate avoided reporting for the draft rather than someone who was already in the army and went “AWOL”.
Something else is strange here. Several days ago there was an article here reporting that the Rebbe was turned away from the airport on his way to a simcha in NYC because his VISA had expired. This article says nothing about a simcha and instead says the Rav was vacationing or visiting in Switzerland and was then headed to Toronto to raise money for chassidus. Was the wedding cancelled at the last minute or did he miss the chassanah entirely and change his plans to vacation/visit in Switzerland.
The little,
I’m sure pains you to write that, as you sit there on your comfy armchair in Brooklyn, sipping apple cider tea
Nazis is what they are. How could you arrest someone who’s sitting and learning? Any learning going on in the world is the real protection for E”Y. Not what the soldiers do
We have to fight these Zionists tooth and nail.
Hey Yitzy…..there are tens of thousands of bochurim (including many chrareidi bnai torah) who are on the front lines in the Golan, in Yehuda and Shomron, a few hundred meters from terrorists in Gaza and just about everywhere who left their “comfy armchairs” so this draft evader, his family and his charusah and their families can be safe. What gives him the right to push his responsibilities on to others so he can be flying around the world “to gain chizuk”…If the charges against him are true, than he deserves to gain a different kind of chizuk in a taxpayer funded resort (aka IDF prison).
we tend to note that it’s mostly Americans and such who have these ‘witty’ comments to make about such circumstances.
They don’t live in Israel, but they know THE BEST
For all those so quick to be the approving prosecutors- He’s a 24 year old avreich. Which means that he has a wife, and possibly little kids, who will now be left to fend for themselves for the foreseeable future. Poor things… (and please don’t respond with a snarky, “He should’ve thought of that”, comment. Just pointing out something to think about…)
lets get this clear once and for all.
Arabs do not serve in the IDF – they have a conflicting ideology to the Israelis.
We, who are faithful to Hashem have an even greater issue with the IDF, not because if defends its people, rather because of its filthy and low ideology, their one and only ambition is to undermine Torah and everything what is holy.
We do not support the IDF.
Please every 16 year old who wants to evade prison.. go to the IDF enlistment Office on time & register & get your P’TUR!!
Elvil? Is that really his name? Ot could it be Feivil?
There are 2 Vizhnitzer Rebbes, the brothers Rav Yisroel & Rav Mendel. The previous article about the wedding was referring to Rav Mendel. This one is presumably about Rav Yisroel.
He wasn’t criticizing the boy. He was advising others to learn from his example and stay under the radar (no pun intended)
There are TWO different Vizhnitz, as there are 2 Satmars, and 2 Bobovs. One Rebbe went to NY for chasuna, the other Rebbe went to Toronto for chizuk.
The Zionists war on yahadus continues.
“The little I know” is exactly right, whether he is sipping apple cider tea or any other drink. If you don’t turn up at the induction center to request your deferral, you are likely to be arrested if you try to leave the country. That says nothing about the rights or wrongs, but the fact that the bochur is that dim doesn’t suggest he will be one of the next gedolei hador, even for all his learning.
These people are indoctrinated to have this type of behavior. They are taught not to lisyen to authority,even thier own authority. Its the wild west out there.
Can we please stop calling everybody we dont like Nazis. It belittles the real Nazis who systematically killed 6 million of our brethren and who launched a world that caused death and suffering which some people are still feeling.
We may not like the Israeli army policies and actions and certainly dont approve of them religiously or spiritually but they are not Nazis.
i left 2 posts and funnily enough only one of them was posted…
i wonder why!! is it b/c i left too much info siding with the avreich??
is that the case YWN???
zionflag: for your info, this avreich DID enlist, but moved to a smaller kollel that was not registered with the army… this was the outcomes, and this is what happens time and time again.
of course vaad hayeshivos, who have a quota to fill, jump at these circumstances, and tell the poor guy, sorry, we can’t help, go to the army.
takes2-2tango: is that the case, rabbi?! are you familiar with the details of this case or are you just spewing stuff taht you’re not even familiar with, the ikar is to HATE and hate some more!!!
For the record:
– Vizhnitz bachurim report for deferrals, just as this young man did.
– Hager reported for a deferral 5 years ago, but his application turned into a bureaucratic mess and rather than hire a lawyer and try to sort it out, he decided to let it drop and drop out of sight, which worked fine until now.
– If the IDF is so eager to accommodate yeshiva bachurim/avreichim and let them learn once they get a deferral, why is this avreich in prison rather than in yeshivah? Surely if there is no gezeira, they would have been only too happy to figure out the paperwork to get him released.
Don’t be so naive! These are Nazi tactics. “Just register and everything will be fine!” (unless you are Sephardi, or an orphan, or from a periphery community, or a BT… these are the ones the IDF is targeting – for now. So stick your heads back into the sand until they come for YOUR son.
“There are TWO different Vizhnitz,… One Rebbe went to NY for chasuna, the other Rebbe went to Toronto for chizuk.”
Still seemed very strange…why wouldn’t Vishnitz #1 he attend the wedding of his brother, Vishnitz #1
Well, mystery solved: He DID attend. It seems that the Trumpkopf is not the only Tweeter….See below from the Vishnitz tweets
The Rebbe will be in Boro Park this Shabbos for his grandchild’s wedding.
The Rebbe’s son, R’ Chaim Meir Hager, is marrying off his son to the daughter of the Aleksander Rebbe from Cleveland.
The Aufruf and Seudos will take place in the renovated warehouse on 43rd Street and New Utrecht Avenue. Thousands of Chassidim are expected to attend the Simchas this week, with many traveling from the greater New York City area and beyond.
After the Friday night meal, the Rebbe will fir tisch. A large Kiddush is planned for after the Aufruf. The Furshpeil will follow Shalosh Seudos.
The wedding will be in the same location as the Bavarfin, this Wednesday, November 8.
The Rebbe’s brother, R’ Mendel Hager, will be in Toronto this Shabbos, but is expected to attend the wedding.
Next Shabbos, the Rebbe will spend Shabbos in Monsey with his uncle, the Vizhnitz Monsey Rebbe
americaisover November 5, 2017 10:16 am at 10:16 am
Liberals – have you heard of concept called freedom of conscience? There are segments of the population here in Israel that have ideological issues with serving in a secular, socialist army. Respect that! And stop dropping words like pitur – exemption laws are continuously changing leaving previously exempt people out in the cold. It’s clear how you feel about Chareidim but still Binfol Oivecha Al Tismachl Such Sinas Chinum is dispicable.
yehuda26 and dbrim: well put. some people are simply not familiar with all the beurocracy that goes on in this country.
All those who don’t care for paperwork, don’t agree or like laws & regulations — DONT TRY TO GET A DRIVER’s License – there are too many steps involved.
(Sarcastic example of rules, paperwork or life as an adult)
Can u imagine, you must take a test to get a permit & gosh they take your photo (without a hat or snood on), then you must take some dumb 5 hr course to request a ROAD TEST, & sometimes there r no road tests in the area & you have to wait & travel to a different local, then you were unfortunate to have a Nazi as your inspector & you fail & have to do the whole thing over. If you were one of the lucky ones – you pass your test, need insurance & registration to drive a car. So much – stupid time & effort & away from learning for this. Did u ever notice the horrible lack of tzinus & prices u got to pay at the DMV..
THEN… The dumb license expires & u need another one plus dealing with ridiculous rules of traffic summons & court appearances.
To Chillworker2
Same thing happened to me. I guess YWN doesn’t like that I talk bad about the EVIL MEDINA
to another wise guy:
ps. interesting to know that YWN did not advertise that the avreich was let free after 4 days of hunger strike!!!
pps. did you also notice that you cannot follow up comments by email suddenly???
YWN is the most objective news site around!!! 🙂
police state
Not one of the above comments mentioned an extremely important point. There is no need for the draft. In fact the draft causes significant damage to security and the economy. A professional army of career soldiers will be much more efficient and cost effective. The army is suffering from a surplus of man power. The economy suffers from the loss of 3 years from the lives of people who are not really needed in the army. This is the opinion of every study commissioned by the IDF to find ways to work more efficiently. The number one recommendation was to cancel the draft and stop wasting money on unnecessary jobs. The only thing against this is political. Most people are ignorant. Others are just conservative. Others feel that a Jewish army should not be mercenaries the ideal is to be drafted for quarter of the minimum wage. L’shem shamayim. Others just love the achdus brought by bringing together all Israelis. Many reasons are given to stay the same, not one justifies violating the freedom of anyone in a healthy democracy even if he was doing nothing all day. I think the chareidim should be making this point and unite with many Israelis who want a free democracy and strong economy. Not just draft dodgers. Yes, you have your ideal message of torah, but that message is not universal. To win, talk smart.