Israel – Details of the terms for a new law regulating national service for haredi men were emerging on Thursday following the agreement between Likud-Beytenu, Yesh Atid and Bayit Yehudi to form a government on Wednesday night.
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According to Bayit Yehudi sources, there will be a quota of 1,800 yeshiva students every year who will be able to obtain full national service exemptions, a large increase from the 400 demanded by Yesh Atid, while the age of enlistment will be 21.
Approximately 7,000 haredi men turn 18 every year.
Crucially, anyone electing not to enlist after 21 will be able to join the work force, something which until now has not been possible until the age of exemption, currently 28, but previously as old as 35.
Significantly, there will be no criminal sanctions or charges against anyone choosing not to serve, but they will no longer be funded by the government.
This will constitute a significant blow to the yeshiva budgets and the overall haredi purse.
Additionally, certain financial penalties are slated to be included in a bill against someone choosing not to serve, although the details are not yet clear.
Ideas floated have included the revocation of municipal tax and national insurance discounts and other similar sanctions.
Financial incentives will be granted to those electing to serve in order to encourage enlistment.
The terms represent a serious compromise on the issue from Yesh Atid, but will nevertheless be bitterly opposed by the haredi spiritual and political leadership.
The damage such a law would do to the financial viability of yeshivot and, if personal financial sanctions are imposed, to the average haredi family purse, will be heavy and may likely leave many men no choice but to join the work force or enlist.
The compromise was made after Likud Beytenu, Bayit Yehudi and Yesh Atid reached the final stages of coalition talks Wednesday night, with Bennett negotiating to break the impasse between Netanyahu and Lapid.
It has taken since the January 22 elections, and an extension from President Shimon Peres, to reach this stage, after Netanyahu found himself negotiating with two leaders whose combined 31 Knesset seats match those of his own joint Likud and Yisrael Beytenu faction.
The government is expected to have only four female ministers – Livni, German, Immigration and Absorption Minister Sofa Landver of Likud Beytenu and Likud’s Limor Livnat – and three ministers of Sephardic descent – Cohen, Shalom, and Peretz.
Bayit Yehudi’s Central Committee was expected to vote on the agreement Thursday morning, in accordance with the party’s by-laws. Bennett, Lapid and Netanyahu were to sign later that day. The government will be sworn in at the Knesset next week.
Content is provided courtesy of the Jerusalem Post
Time for the ‘roshei yeshivas’ & rebbes to start handing in list of their own families for the exemption. It will be like European rabbi’s handing over the poor & orphans for the army conscripts only laced with nepatism.
This exemption of 1,800 charedi men to pursue full-time studies offers a win-win solution to the vexed question of military service in Israel to all parties.
The ultra-orthodox, who have claimed that the State of Israel’s security is both protected & enhanced by the ‘kedusha’ of study, can continue to do just that.
The ultra-secular, who have long complained about *their* children having to risk laying their lives for the physical defense of their country, will now have a large pool of orthodox Jewish men who will now offer ‘gibush’ & “share the load”.
The frummeh men, who do not qualify for exemption under the plan, will not face utter doom and/or spiritual destruction by what they (or, more likely, the askanim agitating on their behalf) haved called “this gezeirah”.
In 22 years of active service in the IDF I was NEVER presented with treife food in any IDF mess hall, I had free & ample access to army batei knesset housed in everything from a pup tent to purpose-designed buildings, I was able every day (almost) to take an hour or so to learn, and only once did I have to listen to ‘kol isha’.
The ultra-orthodox MUST give this idea proper and serious consideration.
This is the most important line: Crucially, anyone electing not to enlist after 21 will be able to join the work force, something which until now has not been possible until the age of exemption, currently 28, but previously as old as 35.
Thank G-d. Long, long overdue. Every Jew should applaud this.
It seems like this agreement will only affect the monies of the Yeshivas. AlthNothing criminal. So yeshivas who have to raise money will have to raise a little more, until next election. At that time Yeshivos will demand the money back.
I guess ALTERG will have to wear a uniform and get up at 430 AM to daven and start walking a post and carrying a gun. WOW.
unless he lives in brooklyn ofcourse.
It seems like this agreement will affect money. So yeshivas who have to raise money now to survive, will have to raise a little more, until next election. At that time Yeshivos will demand the money back. Perhaps double. Hopefully elections will come soon.
I think its a good deal 1800 will learn & on their zchus the IDF will be able to protect the country those that really want to learn will continue to learn & those that don’t should be sent to the USA to collect for the yeshivos on commission & everyone will be happy
that sounds very fair nobody will be forced to join just dont expect money from the goverment i see no issue with this proposel
No reason you can’t be in a chareidi unit or service program and still maintain yourselves. Our grandfathers in Russia, Poland, Hungary and even Germany were conscripted and did just fine under much worse circumstances. In the “heim” not everyone learned in kollel – only the iluim-1800 should be more than adequate to ensure the mesorah.
Change is hard…get used to the new order.
While 1800 of the cream of the crop will be exempt, it will be a true test of mido tovos. Imagine one boy being told by his Rosh Yeshiva that he is not good enough. One hopes that his chaver will say, what right do I have to get an exemption, when my friend did not; and decide to voluntarily decline his exemption, and join the army. Mai chazis dedama didach sumak tfei. How can any person say my blood is more valuable than my friend’s.
i assume exemptions will require rigorous examination, to avoid nepotism that defines many yeshivot’s behavior. halevi we have 1800 young talmidei chachamim. i hope academics in talmud, halakha, midrah, etc. will be able to compete.
Hopefully this will be a much needed nudge away from parasitic dependency towards personal responsibility and self respect.
so still 1800 parasites who will live at my expense & not defend Israel. BUSHA!
This sounds like a very fair deal.
In response to # 12,
“How can any person say my blood is more valuable than my friend’s.”
You have said a mouthful. Why do you think there is so much bad feeling about army conscription now?
It is a Jewish country. Them is us. I think things have gone very gently till now.
Incentives for serving seem very advanced and enlightened to me.
#2
good gezukt, but 1) is rabbanut kosher really so — and for those who don’t feel so, will mehadrin be provided without questions or shtick – this hasn’t been the case for Nachal Haharadis or historically for chareidi tzahal in general? 2) Also, for those m’dai’ik b’mitzvos, one time (to be subject to kol isha, etc.) is also a monumental failure – accidental sins also come about for reasons that should be carefully considered. There was an article a few months ago in VIN about no food being available for Nachal Charaidis for Shabbos — their liaison b’h was able to get donations from all around Benei Brak just before Shabbos for them – these are the kind of things that we can NEVER afford to ignore or write-off as being ‘just casual or incidental’ mishaps — sin is responsible for human suffering. A Jewish military is a spiritual fighting machine first and foremost always – with a predominantly lax attitude to observance throughout tzahal and Israel, those who are m’dai’ak b’mitzvos are already ‘on the front lines’ before even stepping into the barracks of our present Jewish military. They need tremendous protection beyond a hairsbreath of error – errors cannot be afforded.
After Pesach, I’m sure that there will be plenty of Roshei Yeshiva flooding America to raise money to support the objectors in the face of the “gezeira” that is looming over the heads of Bnei Hayeshiva. Those in America who have their eyes open seeing the American bochurim in the Yeshivos now during bein hazemanim in the restaurants and pizza shops know the extent to which many Yeshivos’ claim of Torahso Umnaso is “you gotta be kidding!”.
So I assume this means the non-Haredi can also opt out of military service, right? They just pay a little more in taxes?
I think this is a good idea, but I foresee a new flood of m’shulachim at my door. I will chip in, but there will be a lot of hardship. Ultimately, the haredi world collectively needs to earn more. A lot more.