Israel’s Other Big Problem

I have long wanted to write to the congregation about a particularly significant and controversial issue in Israel. As many reading this Shabbat message are aware, most ultra-Orthodox Jews are not subject to Israel's military draft. This has always stirred resentment among the Israeli public, with over 70% of Jewish Israelis opposing this general exemption. But given the horrific events of October 7th and the war that has followed, this general exemption to the Haredim, as the ultra-Orthodox are generally called in Israel, is no longer tenable. While composing 14% of the population, the Haredim represent 25% of Israel's draft age population (approximately 63,000 people). As Israel's military is currently falling short on its conscription goals, and as both active duty as well as reserve units are having their military service extended, this problem and inequity has reached a boiling point.

This is not the occasion to go through the entire history of how this exemption came to be.  But a few words are in order. In December 1947, then Prime Minister of Israel, David Ben Gurion, in consultation with political parties and leaders of the Haredi community, granted military exemptions to 400 promising young Talmud scholars engaged in full time Torah study. Yet other Haredim did indeed fight in Israel’s War of Independence.   Over the years, the number of exemptions for young Haredim engaged in full time Torah study has increased exponentially, now numbering in the tens of thousands. Their lack of participation in Israel's Defense Forces (IDF) is especially glaring when we consider the amazing role of the religious Zionist community in Israel's military.

Several weeks ago, following a previous Israeli Supreme Court ruling declaring the general exemption for Haredi yeshiva students illegal, the Supreme Court ordered the military to begin drafting ultra-Orthodox men, and draft notices were sent to several thousand young Haredim. This move was met with condemnation from Haredi leaders, massive demonstrations in some parts of the Haredi community and even violence. At a time when Israel is at war in Gaza, and carrying out both well publicized as well as covert missions in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Iran, while at the same time involved in intense negotiations regarding a potential cease fire and release of Israeli captives, the issue of Haredi conscription threatens an already fragile coalition. For his entire career, Prime Minister Netanyahu has relied on the ultra-Orthodox political parties for his coalition government. (So have governments led by other parties -- the ultra-Orthodox parties have been a part of almost every Israeli government since 1948 -- which has led to the expansion of draft exemptions over the last 75 years).  Their response remains to be seen. They could bring down this government at any moment.  For those who have studied Israel's history, especially its political history, you know that governments have fallen over far less serious issues.

Despite the Supreme Court ruling, the Israeli military cannot absorb thousands of Haredim overnight. I should probably add at this point that many Haredim do serve in the IDF by choice. But the Israeli military has a long history of incorporating diverse populations into its ranks. It has done so by providing special resources to unique groups within Israeli society to ensure their success in this great national endeavor. For years, resources were directed to better incorporate women throughout Israel's military. Now, women currently make up 51% of Israel's officer corps (by comparison, only 20% of US military officers are women). There are similar programs that have guaranteed the success in recruitment and retention from Israel's Christian and Muslim Arab populations, its Bedouin community, and Druze community.  It has special programs for Israeli high school dropouts, even for those with mental and physical disabilities. Similar resources can and must be directed to meet the admittedly unique needs and challenges of the Haredim, and guarantee their success. The social disaster caused by the blanket exemption from military service is seven decades in the making. Only patience, sensitivity, creativity, and good judgement, can begin to right this wrong.

In his great compendium of Jewish law. Maimonides wrote about the difference between a Milchemet Reshut, a non-obligatory war, and a Milchemet Mitzvah, an obligatory war. In an obligatory war, Israel is attacked, and the safety of the nation and its inhabitants are in peril.  In such a war there are no exemptions. Everyone must serve.  Perhaps in other situations or at other times, Israel had the luxury of ignoring the problem and larger ramifications of mass Haredi military exemption. It can do so no longer. The sooner this problem is addressed, the better for all.

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