Brig. Gen. Reem Aminoach, the former financial advisor to the IDF chief of staff, estimated that the cost of defending Israel from the massive overnight missile attack was about NIS 4-5 billion.
Speaking in an interview on Sunday with Ynet, he said: “If we’re talking about ballistic missiles that need to be intercepted with the Arrow system, cruise missiles that need to be intercepted with other missiles, and UAVs, which we actually mainly intercept with planes – then add up the costs – $3.5 million per Arrow missile, $1 million per David’s Sling interceptor, and, various costs for planes – it adds up to NIS 4-5 billion.”
Aminoach added that Iran spent far less on the attack. “The attack cost Iran less than 10% of what it cost us to defend against it. In the future, in a year, two years, or five years, they can carry out 50 such attacks. And let’s say that if the IDF’s net budget in 2023 was 60 billion shekels, with less than double that you have no chance of reaching a situation where we can maintain the required amounts.”
In comparison, the Israeli government’s budget PER YEAR for yeshivos and kollelim was a mere NIS 1 billion. And the protection for Klal Yisrael was priceless. [It should be noted that the current government would have continued to fund the yeshivos but was forced to stop by Israel’s true dictators – Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara, who was appointed to represent the government but instead works against it – and the Supreme Court.]
After the Supreme Court’s ruling at the end of March freezing funding to yeshivos HaGaon HaRav Dov Landau warned that the decision endangers Klal Yisrael.
“The yeshivos hakedoshos and kollelim, where the Torah is constantly learned, are the zechus of our existence here in Eretz Yisrael and that’s what protects all Jews in Eretz Yisrael from all their tzaros,” the Rosh HaYeshivah said.
“And the more lomdei Torah there are in yeshivos and kollelim, the more protection there is for all the residents of Eretz Yisrael, and chalilah, the opposite.”
“If the number of lomdei Torah is decreased, it can rachmana litzlan bring incriminations against Klal Yisrael. We all know that our existence as the sons of Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov here in Eretz Yisrael, surrounded by our enemies, is only due to nissim.”
“The Torah is what protects and saves us, and chalilah, that the land shouldn’t spit out its residents.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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20 Responses
stupid headline
pikuach nefesh comes before yeshiva bochurim avoiding the draft
Really not helpful to write such an article. In my view it’s attitudes like this and the open communication of such attitudes is why we can’t seem to find a solution for this issue for over 75 years. The last time we had an agreement on this issue was the chazon ish with Ben gurion. And I’m sure the chazon ish didn’t express such attitude. That’s why he got an agreement
When someone starts up with תלמוד-תורה or for that matter with שבת/יום-טוב/חול-המועד, then השם has unexpected ways of reciprocating
Like someone siezing money in dubious methods [i.e. a divorcing woman liquidating ex husband in secular court] can end up spending this money on unexpected horrendous medical bills
And if the country had not been prepared to spend the money where might its citizens be today?
The IDF spent billions so far on the 7 October war in Gaza – which began well before any ruling on Yeshiva funding. In fact, based on the premise of this article, that attack should never have happened, since the learning of the “Bnei Yeshivos” should have provided protection against it – yet it did.
You can’t have it both ways – claim that you provide protection, then when something bad happens anyway, say that it’s not your fault. You also can’t claim to understand HKB”H’s cheshbonos – nevu’a is not given to this generation. So please, thank HKB”H and his various shluchim for his protection last night – but stop trying to be HKB”H’s accountant.
an Israeli Yid
No one is as blind as the one who does NOT WANT TO SEE!
@yechiell,
Stupid comment
Go suck your thumb and vote for Biden
Go learn about pikuach nefesh
David the kanoi,
100% a blind person never can say that it’s sunny outside
anIsraeliYid,
You really sound like a kofer. If that’s what you really are, why are you on this group?
To the previous posters; supporting the perpetuation of Torah by the masses of Bnei Yeshiva IS pikuach nefesh.
Well, I saw the sky and saw what a good use of money it was. When I see an avreich wandering along in the street at 11 am smoking and munching on a filled roll [mezonos of course], I don’t immediately think what value we are getting.
I wonder how many yeshivaleit would say to scrap the Israel defense system (Iron Dome)
Maybe the Yeshivos are to blame for giving off from Yeshiva during wartime? Do the bnei yeshiva really need a full two weeks off before a chag? Does the army or any other job give that kind of vacation?
As someone once said, a ben Torah isn’t someone who learns when he must, but one who learns when it’s not required of him.
Post hoc fallacy, or false cause fallacy, is an argument that draws the conclusion that one event is directly caused by another event without evidence to prove this. The conclusion suggests a cause and effect relationship between two events, or one event or thing causing a specific effect.
We should be dancing and thanking hashem that other nations reacted for Israel and that Israel has technology to stop these gigantic rockets.
Many here are missing the real point!
This defense mentality is stupid and not sustainable!!!
We spend billions on expensive weapons while our enemies use cheap bombs 💣
It’s time to produce many cheap bombs and destroy our enemies completely
The best defense is a good offense. Stop listening to the evil people of the world, they are happy to see Jews killed and tortured
Gaza should have been wiped off the map a week after the massacre, no ifs or buts. If Biden wants to scream 😱 let him scream, he will be gone in a few years but Eretz Yisroel is here to stay. The Arabs need to be in constant fair of even raising a stone to throw.
With regards to the yeshiva. Have we lost our minds C”V, without Torah the world has no kiyum, are we not to believe Mamorei Chazal ? C”V!
With regards to joining the army! NO ONE (even non religious folks) should join TZAHAL until the leaders in Israel change and follow Jewish laws including not putting the lives of our enemies’ children over our children. When that happens anyone not learning should join the army
@jersey Jew – you know what they say about kol haposel….
I bring Mekoros for my statements, whether you agree with me or not. Stooping to ad hominem attacks when you have nothing better to say doesn’t make for a valid argument.
an Israeli Yid
Hasdei Hashem, let’s consider this a donation – bnei yeshiva scraped some shekels, went hungrier than usual, and were able to purchase missiles against an enemy attack.
What an idiotic comparison
BH, now Israel has money to spend on saving ALL of its citizens.