Israel – The number of hareidi-religious men in the army is on the rise: Over 1,000 in the IDF, and nearly another 1,100 in National Service.
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So reports the “Freedom of Religion and Conscience” organization in its latest report. The group’s Deputy Director, Haaretz reporter Shachar Ilan, submitted the report to MK Yochanan Plesner (Kadima); Plesner chairs the Knesset supervisory committee on the implementation of the Tal Law that outlines the framework for the enlistment of hareidi men.
Ilan says that the number of hareidi men in the army or National Service just two years ago was only 300 to 400, so that the upward trend is significant.
The numbers for 2009 show that of the 1,070 hareidim who did army service, 700 enlisted in non–combat units, another 300 signed up for the combat unit known as Nachal Hareidi, and 50 became teacher-soldiers.
Ilan emphasizes, however, that the 2,100 represents a fraction of the 55,000 young hareidi-religious men aged 18 to 41, who receive a military exemption because they are full time yeshiva students. He told Israel National News that in his opinion the 96% who do not serve are “organized draft evaders.”
“What about the large numbers of secular young men who lie to evade the draft?” Shachar was asked. He admitted that “the number of Israelis who receive exemptions for psychiatric problems is increasing tremendously – up from 2.5 percent of those who do not serve to five percent,” but said that the hareidi public represents an entire sector “that prefers to let other Israelis die for them.” He did not discuss entertainers and other groups that receive exemptions.
When reminded that most soldiers in the IDF are not combat soldiers, and that the proportion of combat-worthy hareidim would be similar, Ilan dismissed that as “pilpul [talmudic dialectics-ed.].”
Some 5,500 hareidi young men received draft exemptions this year, and this number is expected to grow to 13,000 within 10 years.
Ilan protested against categorizing his organization as leftist or anti-religious, although he made a point of noting that “80 percent of [the hareidim] who perform National Service do so in hareidi welfare organizations, turning their service into a form of government-paid support for these associations”.
The Director of Freedom of Religion and Conscience, Reform Rabbi Uri Regev, said he was pleased with the increase in hareidi service: “This proves that yeshiva students can certainly do army service just like everyone else… The main lesson to be learned is that the allocations to yeshivot must be reduced, and should be replaced by professional training and job creation for hareidim.”
All I can say chillul hashem that frum yiddin be enrolled in the army that makes such a chillul hashem in the world
Way to go!!!
I’ve been arguing for the longest time now, they should stop with the DATI bashing and instead concentrat on how they can accomedate the needs of ALL and the Charaidi numbers will go up.
Omg what will all the chareidi bashers say now?
What good would professional training and job creation for Hareidim do if they cannot work after getting job training without an army exemption, which currently is only given for the mentally handicapped?
Are they suggesting professional training and job creation only for those exempt (Ptur) or also for those postponed (Dichuyi)?
“the hareidi public represents an entire sector “that prefers to let other Israelis die for them.”
So true and clearly spoken. There is a growing sense of disgust in eretz yisroel that these bochurim refuse to serve in the army and at the same time refuse to learn a skill that would allow them to obtain a job and support themselves. Instead, they leave the fighting and dying to others and then turn to welfare to for support instead of working like a normal person would. That makes this a double chilul hashem and leaves a stench that needs to be fixed. They contribute nothing but expect the medina to support them.
Just join the Army already!!! It is so simple form a “Charedi” Hesder Yeshiva and combine the learning with serivice. It can only be good for them. They will be better jews and people for it.
1,000 is not much in the grand scheme of things, yet 1,000 is 1,000 too many to be enlisted in the army of znus.
The solution would be a voluntary army. The strongest army in the world-The U.S. is all voluntary.
It would seem that this is a positive thing… all those who don’t learn in Yeshivah go to the Army.
Remember that there are many guys who go to the Army and don’t go to Nachal Chareidi for some reason….
shhhhhhhhhhhhh don’t tell any body, but soon we chareidim will take over the army and send the chilonim to get us cigarettes and send them on errands on Yom HaTzmaut and Rabin Memorial day like they used to do to us on shabbos and Yom Tov!