Haredi Students Confident They Won’t Be Drafted
Ultra-Orthodox reactions to a High Court of Justice ruling overturning the Tal Law, which exempts tens of thousands of yeshiva students from military service, ranged yesterday from utter indifference to prophecies of Armageddon.
The High Court ruled on Tuesday that the law, which allows full-time yeshiva students to defer army service, is unconstitutional, and the Knesset will not be able to renew it in its present form when it expires in August. The law went into effect 10 years ago.
Students at Jerusalem’s Hebron Yeshiva, where more than 1,000 men of draft age (18 to 24) are enrolled, seemed unfazed by the ruling, as did students at other yeshivas. At Hebron, some students did not even know of the High Court’s ruling until told by this reporter; others didn’t know exactly what the Tal Law was.
On being informed, some said they rely on God, along with their ultra-Orthodox Knesset members, to concoct a new law to replace the old one.
More importantly, however, they were confident that the state is neither willing nor able to draft masses of Haredi men into the Israel Defense Forces. It would certainly not throw ultra-Orthodox draft-dodgers into prison, said one: “The state would collapse in that situation.”
Hello, fellow Forward reader! I’m Joel Brown, a Forward reader and supporter for more than 15 years, and currently the chair of the board of directors.
I’m an avid Forward reader because it ticks so many of my essential boxes: excellent journalism, Jewish focus and diverse viewpoints. In today’s political climate, what I most appreciate is the Forward’s independence — made possible by the generosity of its membership.
The Forward is committed to bringing you unbiased, nuanced Jewish news. From my position as board chair, I see an exciting future as we expand our position as the definitive independent voice of contemporary American Judaism.
That’s why I’m paying it Forward, by matching $36,000 of reader gifts. It’s an investment in the Forward’s newsroom, to continue telling the American Jewish story with truth and independence.
— Joel Brown, Forward board chair
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
