Israeli Satire Program Incites Against Charedim Over IDF Enlistment, Raising Sharp Reactions

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — In what can be seen as a malicious attempt to defame the charedi public, the Eretz Nehederet satire program included a clip about two death notification officers in the Israeli army who mistakenly knock on the home of a charedi person. The charedi, confused as to why two IDF officers are at his door, says that he is not willing to enlist in the army. He claims that he is an “only child” (with five brothers), says he studies in kollel and is therefore exempt from service, and tells the soldiers to “go and draft the Eritreans”. He adds that “its not possible by force, only through conversation.”

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The officers realize that they have made a mistake and state that they have come to inform of the death of a soldier. The charedi says: “What a relief!”, and then berates them for making a mistake between an address in Bnei Brak and Ramat Gan, adding that it is “a sensitive time”. He then tells them to “inform them that we prayed for him- we did all that we could.”

The obvious insinuation is that charedim will not have a death notification officer at their doors – and that their sensitivity is only for their own feelings and not for those of the soldiers of their families. Both these statements are patently false. Some 20 of the soldiers and civilians killed in the current campaign are from charedi families and many other soldiers continue to serve at the front line. Moreover the charedi public has mobilized in many ways to assist the soldiers- from providing critical equipment and food supplies to giving first medical responses on October 7th. A charedi ambulance driver was killed in Ofakim while rushing to treat wounded, while others bravely drove to Kfar Azza and Beeri to help evacuate the many wounded.

Thousands of charedim have enlisted in the Chetz and Netzach Yehuda brigades in recent years. Even though they wear different kippot, they are all from charedi families and their parents worry about them like any other soldiers. This disgusting attempt at satire is both divisive- pitting parts of the Israeli public against others- and offensive to the many families who have to suffer the pain of receiving such horrendous news, including one soldier’s family just yesterday.

Even secular journalists were horrified by the clip. Ran Boker, Ynet’s entertainment reporter, wrote that: “If you want to criticize charedim, go for it, it may be important and correct to do so, but between that and belittling religion itself- there is a huge difference and Eretz Nehederet missed the mark completely.

“Worse still- putting in the most tragic moment for so many families in Israel- the knock on the door and notification- is shocking, sad and superfluous. There are borders which shouldn’t be crossed even for satire. Enjoy the fact that you managed to ‘kick’ a lot of broken hearts.”

Yinon Magal, channel 14’s anchor, questioned how many of Eretz Nehderet’s own staff had served in combat units: “Check out all the cast of the program, how many of them were in combat? Did their parents not sleep at night? Do they have the right to open their mouths about knocks on the door? What nerve!” Magal queried.