The Sephardi Bnei Torah Association, which deals with complex legal cases during the year, warns yeshiva students who wish to leave the country and travel to Uman for Rosh Hashana, as this may complicate their legal status vis-a-vis the military authorities.
The association explains: According to the rules of the Ministry of Defense derived from the draft law, which at this stage is still valid from the legal point of view, and applies to every yeshiva student who submits the declaration forms at the induction center, yeshiva students are permitted to leave the country in two ways only during the year;
1. During bein hazmanim 2. During the year for a period of one week only. Every additional day and even one hour beyond the permitted time (according to the rules of the Defense Ministry, a day is counted by 12 midnight), complicates the yeshiva student’s situation and he may find himself without a yeshiva-based status with all the implications.
“This year,” the association says, “yeshiva students who wish to spend the Rosh Hashana holiday at Rav Nachman’s tziyun in Ukraine may exceed the seven days allowed to leave the country during the year according to the rules of the Defense Ministry in light of the fact that Rosh Hashanah is viewed as “bein hazmanim” days.
The association calculated the number of days the passengers will be forced to stay abroad for Rosh Hashanah: “Rosh Hashanah begins on Sunday evening. A flight on Sunday is far more expensive and that is why this year, most will arrive in Uman on Thursday and even Wednesday of the previous week, which significantly reduces the price of the flight.
In addition, for the flight back to Israel after Rosh Hashanah, it is not immediate, so they have another day or two of stay abroad after Rosh Hashana, so that in general, they will be staying abroad for seven days to ten days”.
The association states in recent days, there have been rumors and reports that the Defense Ministry has approved flying to Uman for ten days and these days will not be counted as days abroad this year.
Officials from the Sephardi Bnei Torah Association checked with legal experts, and with IDF induction officials, learning that as of now, the Defense Ministry has not instructed anyone involved as to any changes pertaining to talmidim traveling and remaining abroad for Rosh Hashanah in Uman, and therefore, the regulations explained regarding travel abroad during the days are also applicable for talmidim flying for Rosh Hashanah to Uman. The association urges talmidim not to rely on rumors or adverts, but to rely on the regulations that are applicable year-round.
Ladaat News reports that after it published the article, Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman has signed permitting special arrangements for Bnei Yeshivos, permitting them to fly to Uman for Rosh Hashanah without jeopardizing their status as bnei yeshiva.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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One Response
“Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman has signed permitting special arrangements for Bnei Yeshivos, permitting them to fly to Uman for Rosh Hashanah without jeopardizing their status as bnei yeshiva.”
But Klal Yisrael has always viewed that anyone leaving E’Y to go spend R’H at a grave site where they hold hip hop concerts and dance to rave music in the street is jeopardizing their status as bnei yeshiva.