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I spoke to 3 of my friends with family in Israel to see how they were doing.
When I asked if any relatives were in IDF, all 3 said no, they are exempt because of religious beliefs. Tow of my friends were mad at their kids and grand-kids for not fighting. The other one, who lives 50/50 in Jew Jersey and Israel, just said that's the way it is. I didn't push.
I am curious as to why many (not all) Israeli Ultra-Orthodox will not fight for their country??
There are different reasons. One major reason is that, since the beginning of the state, there was an exemption for people learning Torah becasue of the Torah-based understanding that learning is as vital to self defense and well being as fighting. So a part of the population learns which helps protect in one way while another section fights.
I spoke to 3 of my friends with family in Israel to see how they were doing.
When I asked if any relatives were in IDF, all 3 said no, they are exempt because of religious beliefs. Tow of my friends were mad at their kids and grand-kids for not fighting. The other one, who lives 50/50 in Jew Jersey and Israel, just said that's the way it is. I didn't push.
I am curious as to why many (not all) Israeli Ultra-Orthodox will not fight for their country??
From a documentary that I saw a few years ago, it's not only exemption from joining the military but they are exempted from working any job to earn a living altogether. Govt of Israel pays for them with the collected tax money. So essentially, they don't work.
There are different reasons. One major reason is that, since the beginning of the state, there was an exemption for people learning Torah becasue of the Torah-based understanding that learning is as vital to self defense and well being as fighting. So a part of the population learns which helps protect in one way while another section fights.
Not to offend anyone. When a tiny country is at war, everyone should step up and fight. At the beginning of the State, there were fewer.
Quote:
The rapid demographic growth of the ultra-Orthodox population both impacts its economic, social, and political standing in Israel, and attracts considerable public, media, and political attention. In 2020, the ultra-Orthodox population in Israel numbered approximately 1,175,000, representing 12.6% of the total population. It is expected to reach 16% of Israel’s population by 2030, and to grow to around 2 million people by 2033.
A cornerstone of Judaism is that Torah learning is vital to protecting not only Judaism but also the world. This has been true in an unbroken chain for many thousands of years, all the way back to Biblical times.
"Our history demonstrates that the moment study of Torah is neglected, assimilation of the Jewish people into its surroundings makes its inroad. Without fail, every Jewish community in history that did not teach and study Torah as its first priority gradually disappeared from the scene.
"Beyond all the good, rational reasons, Torah is the mysterious bridge which connects the Jew and God, across which they interact and communicate, and by means of which God fulfills His covenant with His people to sustain them and protect them.
"It is therefore no surprise that Torah study is so central with us. It is the first blessing a newborn child receives: "May he grow up to Torah, to the wedding canopy, and to good deeds." The prayer book is filled with petitions to God to help us understand His Torah. No wonder Rebbe Akiva in the Talmud states that to expect a Jew to live without Torah is like expecting a fish to live without water. That's because the fact is that the Torah is the essence of the Jewish people, our very life and soul, and without it we literally have no existence.
"This explains why, in a traditional Jewish community, the one who is looked up to and most admired is the scholar of Torah - not the entertainer or the athlete."
"The scale of the atrocities penetrated the insular Haredi public, which largely shuns television and the internet, because of Zaka, the predominantly Haredi emergency service whose volunteers were among the first on the scene to witness the horrors, Farber noted. In addition to the first responders, whose role has been highlighted in the media, hundreds of additional Zaka volunteers have prepared most of the terror victims’ bodies for burial."
And the Hareidi are doing much actively in response to the current situation, including volunteering for the military:
articleNot just prayers: War sparks unprecedented mobilization by ultra-Orthodox Israelis
Due to the current war situation many Israeli Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men who have been exempt from military service due to their Torah learning, etc. have volunteered for IDF service. https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israe...-enlist-in-idf
An estimated 11,000 men turn 18 each year and take the exemption. Of those, about 1,000 are drafted...pls correct me if wrong.
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