Israel – Young soldier Chaim Yehudah Greenwold has been sent to jail for a third time over his refusal to leave Har Bracha yeshiva. His mother, Rivka Greenwold, spoke to Arutz Sheva’s Hebrew-language news service and called on the IDF to put an end to the Har Bracha battle and release her son.
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Greenwald enlisted in the IDF under the Hesder program, which allows soldiers to combine active service with Torah studies, with the understanding that his Torah study would take place in Har Bracha. However, Defense Minister Ehud Barak later removed Har Bracha from the list of approved Hesder yeshivas due to the public stance of its dean, Rabbi Eliezer Melamed, regarding the expulsion of Jews from their homes; Rabbi Melamed refused to condemn IDF soldiers who protested the expulsion of Jews by the army while in active service.
Rivka Greenwald said her son had been offered a chance to enlist in a different yeshiva, or to leave the hesder program and complete his IDF service in a different track, but that he is sticking to principle. “We respect his decision, and we think he took a very brave step,” she said.
Chaim’s commanding officers have shown respect for his principled stand, she said. However, a handful of people have stood in the way of getting Chaim released.
One officer sent Chaim to a committee to apply for a release from IDF service due to conscientious objection, she continued. However, a single member of the committee did not agree to the early release, and instead returned her son to prison.
She called on the IDF to end the matter and release Chaim and others in a similar position from prison. “These boys don’t belong in jail. They’re the best of the best. Release them from service as conscientious objectors, just put an end to this affair,” she said.
She also called for more support from the religious Zionist community and from other hesder yeshivas. “Perhaps we should learn from the hareidi response to the Emanuel affair about how to support those who are sent to prison,” she said. She was referring to a case in which hareidi-religious Jews held massive rallies in support of members of their community who were sent to jail because of alleged discrimination against Sephardic girls at a school in Samaria.
I’m sorry but I have no sympathy for these “principled” charedi bochurim who refuse to give up their comforts and favorite yeshiva to serve in the IDF while other brave young israelis continue risk their lives to protect the medinah. He can rot in jail for all I care.
To #1 … It seems very apparent from your comment that you have no idea what has been going on in Israel… Shame on you for sitting in the USA and making dumb comments like that…
I live here in Israel and i just wan’t to mention in the city state of the roman empire when the festivities of there holydays and after the chariot races young men would volunteer to neuter themselves for the sake of the…….MEDINA.please those who don’t live here and see the mandacity of our politcians keep you peace and we won’t know your ignorance.sure barak would have others fall for his advantage.The house of king david is not renewed as yet.we wait and those of short sight set themselves up to ridecule showing there ignorance.Patriotism is a tool of the ruling elite to use for there own purpose.We must be clear and brave to protect all jews.but the goverment is suppose to be OUR TOOL.not we there’s
What? you have no sympathy for the ex-residents of gush katif who were forced out of their homes and lost everything they had, and had to roam the streets with their suitcases and knapsacks, for years, with no homes and no work and ruined children?
You call that comfortable?
Maybe YOU are more principalled and give away everything you have, and roam the streets together with your family and some bags.
Is that what you are trying to say?
The soldier in question enlisted with the understanding that his service would permit his continued study at a specific Yeshiva, not just any Yeshiva but a very specific Yeshiva. This was formally agreed to by all the parties involved. After he started his tour of duty a political decision was made to exclude his Yeshiva from a list of accepted Yeshivas. It would be correct for the state to insist that all new recruits no longer be allowed to enlist through the program at the removed Yeshiva. It is improper for them to refuse this soldier’s contract, and yes, it is a contract, permitting him to serve through this Yeshiva. This is a political slap against the Rabbi and the serving soldier is collateral damage.
People need to pay attention to the narrative. This is a serving soldier, not some bum refusing to support the state. An observant Jew attempting to further his studies and civil obligations. The treatment he is being subjected to is shabby and wrong. They should either permit him to continue under his original contract or class him as a conscientious objector.
You have to wonder about the truth of a position which, if everyone adopted it, society would crumble. This applies to Rabbi Melamed’s followers as well as the chareidi (both non [Agudah] and anti Zionist [Badatz] camps). If all Jews were you then what would happen?
response to 10
The world will be a much better place nd mashiach would be here if not than at least much closer than now but i ask what if th all jews were like americans or irreligioys zionists? all we’d care about is money nd piece of land with no time for g-d what do u think the ideal is?