🔗 Share this article

An impending political storm over conscripting ultra-Orthodox Jews into the Israeli army is threatening to undermine Israel's government and dividing the nation.

Popular sentiment on the question has undergone a sea change in Israel in the wake of two years of hostilities, and this is now arguably the most explosive political risk facing Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Legal Conflict

Politicians are currently considering a piece of legislation to abolish the special status awarded to yeshiva scholars dedicated to full-time religious study, established when the the nation was declared in 1948.

This arrangement was declared unconstitutional by the nation's top court almost 20 years ago. Interim measures to continue it were formally ended by the court last year, forcing the cabinet to commence conscription of the community.

Approximately 24,000 draft notices were issued last year, but only around 1,200 ultra-Orthodox - or Haredi - draftees reported for duty, according to military testimony given to lawmakers.

Friction Erupt Into Violence

Tensions are erupting onto the streets, with elected officials now debating a new legislative proposal to require yeshiva students into national service alongside other Israeli Jews.

Two Haredi politicians were targeted this month by some extreme ultra-Orthodox protesters, who are furious with the legislative debate of the bill.

And last week, a specialized force had to assist army police who were surrounded by a sizeable mob of community members as they attempted to detain a alleged conscription dodger.

These arrests have sparked the creation of a new communication network called "Emergency Alert" to send out instant alerts through ultra-Orthodox communities and mobilize demonstrators to block enforcement from happening.

"Israel is a Jewish nation," said one protester. "You can't fight against the Jewish faith in a Jewish state. It doesn't work."

A Realm Apart

But the shifts affecting Israel have not reached the walls of the religious seminary in an ultra-Orthodox city, an religious community on the edge of Tel Aviv.

Within the study hall, scholars learn in partnerships to analyze the Torah, their distinctive notepads contrasting with the seats of white shirts and traditional skullcaps.

"Arrive late at night, and you will see half the guys are engaged in learning," the dean of the seminary, the spiritual guide, explained. "Via dedicated learning, we protect the troops in the field. This is how we contribute."

Ultra-Orthodox believe that constant study and Torah learning guard Israel's soldiers, and are as vital to its security as its advanced weaponry. This tenet was acknowledged by Israel's politicians in the past, Rabbi Mazuz said, but he acknowledged that Israel was changing.

Growing Societal Anger

This religious sector has grown substantially its share of Israel's population over the past seven decades, and now constitutes 14%. An exemption that started as an deferment for a small number of yeshiva attendees turned into, by the start of the 2023 war, a body of some 60,000 men left out of the conscription.

Polling data show support for ultra-Orthodox conscription is growing. Research in July showed that an overwhelming percentage of the broader Jewish public - encompassing a significant majority in the Prime Minister's political base - supported penalties for those who ignored a call-up notice, with a clear majority in approving removing privileges, the right to travel, or the electoral participation.

"It seems to me there are people who are part of this nation without giving anything back," one off-duty soldier in Tel Aviv said.

"I don't think, regardless of piety, [it] should be an reason not to fulfill your duty to your country," stated a young woman. "Being a native, I find it quite ridiculous that you want to opt out just to study Torah all day."

Views from Inside Bnei Brak

Backing for extending the draft is also expressed by religious Jews beyond the ultra-Orthodox sector, like one local resident, who is a neighbor of the academy and notes religious Zionists who do perform national service while also studying Torah.

"I'm very angry that this community don't enlist," she said. "It's unfair. I too follow the Jewish law, but there's a saying in Jewish tradition - 'The Book and the Sword' – it signifies the Torah and the guns together. This is the correct approach, until the messianic era."

The resident maintains a modest remembrance site in Bnei Brak to local soldiers, both from all backgrounds, who were killed in battle. Long columns of faces {