JERUSALEM (VINnews) — As Israel’s military continues to crack down on charedim who are at the age of military draft (1,223 have been arrested in 2025 alone), many charedi youths are taking the option of fleeing abroad on a one way ticket to try their fortunes elsewhere. Despite being far away from their families and not being familiar with local languages and customs, these charedim feel it is a small price to pay for their freedom to practice their religion elsewhere without fear of being forcibly conscripted to military service.
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Israel’s i24 news journalist Ari Kalman interviewed four of these Israeli expatriates who are all currently staying in Lakewood, where they are working odd jobs or learning Torah and trying to acclimatize to their “refugee” status abroad. The four all stressed that sanctions will not work, as few charedim will enlist due to sanctions and the rest will find solutions that will enable them to stay within their community.
Yehuda said that when things got stressful, he left for Lakewood where “nobody is persecuting me”. He is married, with two children and his wife works in a hi-tech company. Yehuda (26) fled during the festival period when he saw he would receive a draft order. Elchanan (25) was studying and working in Jerusalem but fled before he got a draft order. Motty (21) went to China to be a kashrus supervisor and then continued to Cleveland where he is studying and misses his family very much.
When asked about the Chashmonaim charedi brigade, the youths say that they do not know enough about it but don’t believe that the army can accomodate charedi requirements.
The youths are supported by the local Lakewood community, which is sympathetic to their plight and even raises money to help those evading the draft. Some of them work as kashrus supervisors, drivers and even in refurbishment.
26 year old “youths”
This does not explain at all why they left. All it does tell us is the how & where to. Trying to garner sympathy for theit plight? They’re doing low level, & incidentally illegal work? Miss their families?
האחיכם יצאו למלחמה ואתם תשבו פה
Their actions are totally reprehensible.
so they cant join the army and work in EY “because Torah is everything” but they can work here??
These gentlemen were not learning in EY …
Same as you. Presumably you are also living in USA and not fighting in IDF.
I feel bad for these Jews who can’t see their family & friends because of the draft. If a Rabbi told them that Judaism forbids them from joining Tzahal, they deserve our admiration for listening. If your Rabbi feels it’s a mitzva to join Tzahal, love them just as the students of Hillel & Shamai loved each other despite the many disagreements.
How long is the visa good for?
Moving to USA is not a crime . They are free to leave the country and that’s what they did. Nothing to make a fuss about.
they need to apply for political asylum as they are being persecuted from practicing their religion but the anti Jewish Zionist government. I would represent them pro bono if it saves a Yid from rotting in Zionists jails.
Despicable.
I don’t blame them why should anyone join an army that has so little value for their soldiers lives that they even try to sell them out from the inside. The corruption stretches so far you don’t even know the extent of it. Why serve such a corrupt regime
“When asked about the Chashmonaim charedi brigade, the youths say that they do not know enough about it but don’t believe that the army can accomodate charedi requirements.” So basically they are completely ignorant of actual conditions of the army but have been brainwashed to repeat that the army wants to shmad them no matter what.
So just who is illegally employing these illegal aliens?
Probably not legal to work here, call in ICE
lets get reel here the army is just a way to be able to take young easily manipulated boys of the d the same thing was done in Russia under the tzar anyone with any other ideas is just delusional its time that we called a spade a spade and stopped beating around the bush with deferments it has nothing to do with actual sitting in yeshiva rather just trying to stay really frum
If they want to contunue learning a whole day in BM is one thing, but don’t buy it from most of these guys, especially if they’re working.
Maybe Israel wants this outcome. Get rid of the Dati/Chareid to further securalize. Something has to change fast.
Shame on anyone who is harboring these illegal cowards.
I don’t understand, if you are learning full time in a yeshiva, so you get a deferment. If you are working you are subject to the draft. So these fellows were working people who did not want to do their responsibility?
I’d flee too even if I was secular. I am afraid to get killed or kidnapped by Hamas in the army
Hypocrites. I understand that learning protect the land and I’m all for that but don’t come to the USA, which is becoming an anti-semetic sewer anyway. Go home. We all will. Now. Especially with the terrorist as a mayor.