A Day Like Any Other

Today, a thousand young Haredim will receive their draft notices, tearing apart the veil of decades of undeserved privileges and exemptions. In a country where every citizen bears the burden of national security, the Haredi community has hidden behind a curtain of religious devotion, allowing others to shed blood for their freedom.

The reality is that the time for exemptions has ended. For years, the Haredim enjoyed a tacit agreement that allowed them to avoid military service, a convenience that has become unsustainable as their population has grown exponentially. With a birth rate of about seven children per family, the Haredim comprise almost a sixth of Israel’s population. The burden of their absence on the battlefields and in the workforce is felt by every other citizen who must compensate for this lack.

The Haredim, led by figures like Rabbi Dov Lando, claim that responding to the draft insults their faith. Publications like Yated Ne’eman clearly instruct young people to ignore the draft notices, portraying the situation as a war against the Torah. This stance is a refusal and a betrayal of the collective effort that keeps the country standing.

Meanwhile, young people from the north, south, Tel Aviv, and my kibbutz enlist without question. They leave their homes, studies, and love to protect a nation that includes those who refuse to do the same. The injustice of this situation is evident and creates deep resentment. Why should a young man from Haifa risk his life while a young man from Bnei Brak hides behind religious pretexts?

The harsh truth is that most young Haredim are not wise Torah scholars; many are average students who could contribute to the country’s defense or, at the very least, its economy. Instead, they remain in yeshivas, supported by state subsidies, while their compatriots face existential threats on the borders and within the country.

This draft movement is a military necessity and a call for social justice. Israeli society can no longer bear the disparity of sacrifice. Israel’s future depends on the unity of all its citizens, and that includes the Haredim. Today, as they receive their draft notices, these young people are summoned not just to an army but to a reality where everyone equally shares the burden of freedom.

Resistance is inevitable, and protests are planned, but the truth is inescapable: Israel’s survival as a modern and just nation depends on the participation of all. Today begins a long journey to balance tradition and responsibility, faith and civic duty. And each draft notice sent is a necessary step on that path.