The latest state comptroller’s report, released on Tuesday (May 11th), addresses what State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss calls a failure regarding the implementation of the Tal Law, permitting one to defer IDF service and continue learning in kollel until age 22.

Speaking with Yaakov Amar, who heads the Sheirut Ezrachi Leumi, the nation’s national service division responsible for overseeing and implementing the Tal Law, Radio Kol Chai on Tuesday night probed the matter to obtain the other viewpoint. Amar is not as pessimistic as the state comptroller, stating that there are currently about 1,274 people who are under the umbrella of the Tal Law, which he feels is not bad, rejecting allegations that the program is a failure. Ochana explains the implementation via his unit begin in January 2008, with 24 people, so he feels the growth of the program is far from a failure. About 500 of the total number have completed the program.

He admits the initial expectations were higher, but one must understand that such an initiative does not enter the chareidi community immediately, but it is a gradual process including acceptance by rabbonim. Ochana feels any attempt to force a change will be met with antagonism and ultimately, failure. Such an endeavor can only be implemented through agreement. He feels that if the Tal program continues to expand at the rate of 500 people annually, this is a success and setting goals of 10,000 or 20,000 people is simply unrealistic.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)