JERUSALEM (VINnews) — In the wake of the High Court hearings regarding the conscription of Charedim to the IDF, it is noteworthy to publish astonishing data regarding the IDF’s interest in absorbing Charedim even during the current war period, and even when they volunteer to enlist.
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A report by the Knesset’s Research and Information center published two months ago at the request of Likud MK Eli Dallal revealed that since Oct. 7th, 4000 Charedim had submitted requests to enlist in the IDF.
From the 4000 requests, the IDF rejected 3,120 for a wide range of reasons- mainly “medical unsuitability”. Of those 880 found to be fit for conscription, only 540 were actually absorbed by the IDF- representing just 13.5% of those seeking to enlist.
During this period, there were 66,000 charedim receiving an exemption due to Torah study. It should be noted that the IDF manages to conscript a vast majority of 18- year-olds with varying medical conditions to a broad range of roles – from special combat units to administrative positions. Despite this, the army rejected a very high percentage of charedim, even though they could have been integrated in numerous different roles even if they were not fit for combat.
These data are especially remarkable in light of IDF statements that the war created an immediate need for 7000 soldiers and officers as well as a need for other roles due to the broadening of the army and the length of the current war.
In a discussion of the issue in the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Brigadier-Generak Shai Taib ,head of the IDF Manpower Planning Directorate, said that many of the charedim wishing to enlist were at the age of conscription, yet not all of them were accepted by the IDF.
Currently, the IDF is preparing to absorb more charedi conscripts due to the possibility that the High Court will force the government to send conscription orders to thousands of charedim in the near future. However with the large number of rejections it remains to be seen how many of the charedim will actually be conscripted in the first stages of implementation of the law.
Channel 14 reporter Shimon Riklin wrote regarding the IDF data that “The IDF never wanted to conscript charedim. There is no senior officer from past or present who doesn’t say this in private conversations. But the IDF’s top brass won’t stop the campaign of the left and the court to topple the government with this issue.
“Nothing is new on this matter, the moment a left-wing government is established nobody will say a word about conscripting charedim.”
I have 4 brothers,the 2 sadly non religious dodged the military service and the 2 religious did their part .They were rejected from great positions despite having the profile,and they always ,always said this:the army doesn’t want the charedim.They’re just a political card played to destabilize the government.Whoever thinks otherwise,should educate itself .
This is nothing new they have always shied away from the religious Jews in Isreal. Just like there hasn’t been a frum commanding general other then deiti
The non religious see the right wing as a threat yo their way of life
Over the years, the top brass of IDF has always said they don’t want the “chareydim” (whatever that means, other than shomer Torah U’Mitzvos). IDF is afraid that these people are going to come in and start asking questions about things and they’re going to want to make people, or the soldiers will actually become frummer.
Everybody knows that the whole chareidi drafting situation is just quote in quote “PROPAGANDA” They don’t really need them it’s jus the conflict between the two parties. Deep inside they also don’t need them because they know that they need a lot of davening and learning on the chareidi soldiers parts…
Has anyone considered that their health was below acceptable due to their lifestyle?
It appears not everyone knows why they don’t or won’t have them in the IDF. Can someone knowledge able to help me understand or is it an unspoken law due me being in South Africa I’m afraid ignorance on my part. Thank you
The IDF needs soldiers whom they judge to be physically fit and capable of maintaining discipline.
The haredi volunteers did not fit this profile.
IDF needs soldiers who have enlisted at 18-19 and completed basic training.
The haredi volunteers were older, had not completed basic training, and were at relatively low levels of fitness.
And even those with lower levels of physical fitness need to be well-disciplined and accepting of authority.
This does not mean that the IDF (and the country) should be denied the ability to enlist haredim who DO fit this profile.
as a person who worked in the IDF for years, I know and have seen much anti charadi attitudes from the top brass. BASICALLY, they HATE charadim.
The situation in Israel with the Charedi draft, is very reminiscent of the USA during the Vietnam war. The politicians and draft boards wanted to draft college grads to show how everyone had to “share in the burden”.
The last people the US army wanted as draftees, however, were college grads who were far more educated than the average GI, and would question orders, and in general, would be wise guys. At the end of the day, very few college grads were actually drafted, and few actually served.
The 4000 requests to enlist were not made by chareidim. I am sure of it for at least two (overlapping) reasons:
1. Chareidim don’t serve for ideological as well as religious reasons. We all know what those are.
2. In spite of the demographics favoring us so disproportionately, 4000 would be a very large portion of the young chareidi men of that age, which makes that number absolutely impossible.
At best, those were dati leumi who wear grown men pants. But the authorities consistently count such men as chareidim, for the reasons already enumerated by other commenters here.