CNN Quotes Yanki Farber and Other Charedim on Draft Issue

(VINnews) —CNN’s website featured an article describing this week’s massive Charedi protest in Meah Shearim against the draft ruling.

The story discussed the Charedi perspective at length, and even quoted several Charedim, including renowned journalist Yanki Farber of B’Chadrei Chaedim (a frequent VIN contributor.)

Below are some excerpts:

“Sunday’s rally in Shabbat Square, which drew thousands, was to demonstrate against the decision, which another poster said had “thrust a sword” through the “beit midrash,” or Torah study hall…”

“Many Haredi men spend much of their early lives out of the workforce, instead studying at religious schools known as yeshivas that are partly funded through government subsidies.

“For many Haredis, the idea that they would be pulled from studying scripture and drafted into Israel’s military is simply out of the question.”

“‘We will not enlist,” said Yosef, 22, who traveled to the protest from his home in Beitar Illit, a large Haredi settlement in the occupied West Bank.

“‘Since the beginning of the state (of Israel), we have not enlisted… Now they want to make us (serve) by force. It will never work,” he said. “In a democratic state there is not much they can do besides put us in prison. We are not afraid of prison. We laugh about prison… and the more people that go into prison, the more demonstrations there will be in the country.’”

“‘We can’t watch as they tear the Torah to shreds,’ said another man, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, due to the cultural norms of his community, some of whom are not open to speaking to the press. “‘We can’t be quiet. The High Court, the government, all the Knesset (parliament)… they are looking for ways for compromise and to send Haredi boys to be destroyed. We will die rather than be enlisted.’”

“…Haredi journalist Yanki Farber told CNN in a telephone interview ahead of the protest that although the protesters in Mea Shearim would be among the most “extreme” of Israel’s ultra-Orthodox communities, the Supreme Court’s decision — requiring the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to recruit all Israeli men equally — had left the wider community reeling.

“He said that for many Haredis, the court’s decision won’t change their stance, adding that many said they would “need to starve because they’re not going to have money to buy food,” referring to the court’s edict that the government must withdraw funding from any yeshivas whose students do not comply with draft notices.”

“‘They still refuse to join the Israeli army. They (say they) are just not worried about it. And they trust in G-d, that G-dis going to help them,” said Farber, who writes for the ultra-Orthodox Hadrei Haredim website.”

“Amichai Milici, a 45-year-old army veteran and father of seven who now studies full-time at a yeshiva, said the IDF isn’t ready to absorb more ultra-Orthodox men yet.

“‘They don’t have synagogues (in the military), they don’t have places to learn the Torah, there are girls all over the place,’” he told CNN, adding that some fear that enlisting would make the Haredis less religious. ‘The people are afraid… When they go to the army, who says they are going to be religious after that? After three years, he ain’t going to be with kippah.’”

“The study of the Torah is central to the existence of the Jewish people,” he said. “The Jewish need the army and need the Torah… The Torah is giving power to the soldiers, and the soldiers are giving power to the Torah.”

Again quoting Yanki Farber: “The Haredi leaders, spiritual leaders… are very, very afraid that they are going to see thousands of young Haredi boys in uniform in (ultra-) Orthodox neighborhoods,” [Farber] said. “They are afraid that being a soldier in the Haredi community will become something normal. And if you go into the IDF, you (might) start getting different ideas,” he said. “You start opening your head to other opinions… and nobody’s going to listen to the rabbis anymore.”