JERUSALEM (VINnews) — A group of U.S.-based Jewish donors has announced it will withhold financial support from Israeli yeshivas that publicly criticize the Israel Defense Forces, while also launching a petition urging others to back the initiative.
Join our WhatsApp groupSubscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
Organizers say the effort is meant to express solidarity with Israel’s security forces during wartime and is not intended to take a position on Israel’s ongoing debate over military conscription of ultra-Orthodox students.
The donor coalition includes prominent business leaders and philanthropists from across the United States. Among those who have signed onto the initiative are David Schottenstein, Allan Lebovits, Ari Mandelbaum, Simcha Hyman, and Brian Itzkowitz, according to organizers.
The group says it will continue to support Torah study broadly but will limit donations to institutions that refrain from public attacks on the IDF. Many haredi educational institutions are already under financial strain following Israeli government budget cuts linked to the conscription dispute.
Some philanthropists have declined to join the campaign and say they will continue supporting yeshivas regardless of their public positions, underscoring growing divisions within the ultra-Orthodox world over questions of security, service and funding.
The coalition says its petition campaign is ongoing and aimed at expanding support among donors and community leaders in the United States.
The press release read as follows:
“The Jewish nation is under sustained attack from enemies of Hashem and His Torah who find common cause in harming His people. The battle against the Jews has been globalized. Intimidation and violence are now taking place across the streets of Europe and North America, and in other parts of the world, culminating most recently in the horrific massacre at Bondi Beach, Australia. Enemies of the Jewish people grow more vocal and emboldened by the day, and the illusion that any country is a safe haven for Jews is rapidly collapsing.
“The security of Israel has become a personal and critical matter. Developments worldwide indicate that our people’s future is increasingly tied to Eretz Yisrael, and that Jewish safety across the Diaspora depends on the strength of the Jewish state and its unique capacity to deter and respond to threats beyond its borders.
“In these dangerous times, we feel the imperative, as servants of Hashem and lovers of His Torah, to stand as one in support of our unified interests. The Israel Defence Forces (“IDF”) bear the responsibility for the physical protection of the Jewish people in the State of Israel. We support them and daven for their success, together with the broader security and intelligence apparatus that assists in safeguarding all Jewish life.
“Therefore, we make our position explicit. We remain wholly committed to the support of Torah, Yeshivas, Kollelim and Talmidei Chachamim, the very life force of our holy nation. And because of that commitment to the Torah Chaim, we cannot in good conscience support institutions whose public posture undermines those charged with defending Jewish life. Accordingly, we will only provide financial support to Torah institutions that do not publicly speak against, protest, or delegitimize the IDF while they bear the burden of defending Jewish lives. This policy will remain in effect until such positions are reconsidered in a manner consistent with the defense of Jewish life.
“This stance takes no position on the current debate regarding the draft. It addresses only the propriety of public opposition to the IDF during an ongoing defense of Jewish life.
“We state this position in unity and responsibility, confident that the strength of our people lies in the alignment of Torah, security and mutual commitment. Through achdus, may we merit the geulah sheleimah, b’karov.
“The undersigned have approved this letter and electronically affixed their signatures hereto.”
The current move has shocked the yeshiva world in Israel, which has become more reliant on donations from abroad since the Supreme Court blocked funding for yeshiva students who are eligible for the draft. B’Chadrei Charedim declared that this initiative “harms and disgraces the leading Torah authorities in Israel, who have been left without means since the yeshiva and kollel budgets were dried up due to the “conscription decree.”
The site added that “In just the past two years, our revered sages and leading rabbis of Israel, despite their advanced age, have gone out personally to raise funds for the yeshivot, while in the United States a “coalition” is being formed to oppose the donations.”
The day After Oct 7, Hamas declared a “Global Intifada” against ALL JEWS. Not just against Israel but against ALL Jews. Yet so many charedi denigrate the IDF and Israel. Only these Jews hate their protectors and defenders. Muslims would never think to do such treachery.
How much money did this entire group of people give to Chareidi institutions in Israel in the last year?
This unnecessary public stunt is so sickening. The same goes for both sides.
Every Yeshiva in the world should learn bzchus and say daily tehillim for Chayalei Tzahal. Rather than bashing, the energy should be put into fixing IDF’s major flaws in ruchniyus and improving and adding to units like Netzach Yehuda.
a few points;
1. this is the first i hear of this , but since im also a shtikel mechutzaf ; i will comment on what i think is going on ( do we need the facts to comment??)
2. its no secret that there has always been some distance between supporters of torah and the yeshivaleit themselves , even 50 years ago most baaalei batim didnt support rav aron , rav moshe, rav gifter, ytv etc. most shuls boards didnt let them make appeals.. and they were giants-
3. whatever we have today is because of a few handfuls of donors , who saw this as the only hope for a future
4. its no secret that the ey roshei yeshiva and fundraisers are deeply disappointed with US IN AMERICA, they feel that this is the biggest gezaira facing bnei yeshiva in 60 years and most of us DONT GET IT!
5.keren olam hatorah was a handful of donors with ruvain wolf carrying the brunt of it and many saying we will give but “this” really bothers us and most yidden agree at least partially
6. so this letter didnt come out of chutzpah its saying i have the right to give everywhere i will prioritise those that are more balanced quetion if i ask u would you give to the peleg yeshivas? what about the kanoim in beit shemesh, how about the gruss kolel at yu, toldos aaron .. so u too make choices on who to give and how much
7 finally the old generation baalei batim who gave the yeshivos when their friends did not ,didnt dream of telling the torah builders in america what to do
i think there will be an apology from some of the names very soon
They are 100% right.
I agree with the principle: in a time of war, public attacks on the IDF undermine Jewish unity. Donors are entitled to set boundaries on how their support is used, while still affirming the value of Torah study overall.
Not sure why they had to write a letter, they could stop giving without making a big deal about it
Here’s how I read it “we now have an excuse to give to organizations that we haven’t in the past”
I looked through the names on the list. I consider myself somewhat knowledgeable in the inyan of benfactors for Torah institutions, and I only recognized a handful of names on the list. Some of them I know personally, and they would never sign such a letter. The others come across as largely from the MO community who harbor a hatred of Chareidi Yeshivos anyway and don’t support them. Others felt the need to give themselves a little publicity, so they hopefully got their wish and can go to sleep peacefully. The large majority of benefactors, like the ones who support BMG and Keren Olam Hatorah, are not signing such a petition.
Those not living in Eretz Yisroel Hakodesh, can not have a say in local issues, there is no way an earth that they can properly understand the issue, if they move to EY permanently with their children then we can have a proper discussion. Till then “hasta la vista”
They could’ve picked someone who knows proper English grammar and word choice, and that we alphabetize lists by last name, not first name.
I never heard of any of these so-called wealthy benefactors. This letter is not to be taken seriously.
This is awesome!
Finally we hear words of wisdom!
Chareidi extremism, I.E. Satmar, Peleg and Neturei Karta are a real danger to Klal Yisroel
It’s very unclear to me how they are defining “speaking against or protesting the IDF” if they are also “not taking a position on the current draft debate”. Does that mean they have no problem with the yeshivas protesting the draft? If so then what is this in response to exactly? Is it just against yeshivas who say the IDF is bad for other reasons not related to the draft issue? That would seem to be a relatively narrow issue unless that sentiment is a lot more widespread than I think in Israeli yeshivas
When those yeshivas preach, Kol Yisroel yeash l’hem chelek, and dont act like the appointed ones, perhaps they can validly complain. Until then, It is only HaKol Kol yaakove, vhayadim,yedie eisav!. Kiruv and Kindness attracts a more favorable outcome.
The parameters of this collective statement are very poorly defined leaving plenty of room for internal disagreement of what qualifies as being ‘critical’ of the IDF. But more importantly , the money these or any other people have, to keep OR to give, is NOT THEIRS. It belongs to the Ribbon Shel Olam and we are merely trustees. Unless you have received a direct pass from your Rav to sign this, it is a bizayon. And if all of the people received a psak halacha, it should be their Rabonim signing. Not the messengers. Give where you want. Withhold where you want but to make this a public declaration is unhealthy on so many levels.
They won’t donate if that institution denigrates the Holy IDF. Makes perfect sense, even as the opposition is desperately preparing a smear campaign against them.
Would this pledge also apply to not supporting Yeshivos located in the U.S. whose leadership has expressed similar anti-IDF rhetoric? That would also be appropriate.
Even from a pure defense perspective the IDF seems more interested in protecting gazans than Jews, don’t see their great achievements, of course that’s the top not the brave soldiers who risk their lives for klal yisrael
As a wealthy Askan I recognize many of these names. Some are not wealthy at all and certainly do not donate much to yeshivos in EY. One mega wealthy name on this list is a workaholic who hates Talmud Torah and never gives to yeshivos! Another is a walking chilul Hashem killing people in his nursing homes. The audacity of these idiot’s to open their mouths to dictate to gedolei Roshei Yeshivos what to say and do!
The good lord that gave them their wealth and health can take away both and give it to someone else
So much abused thrown at the IDF that physically defends ALL Jews in Israel. Hundreds of soldiers died since October 7th
It seems the losers who created the petition and signed it have now backtracked and are cancelling the petition, because it caused “division” and not “unity” as they envisioned.
Really? They expected such a petition to create “unity”?!
In other words, when they looked at the reactions to them, showing them as a bunch of losers who don’t support Chareidi Yeshivos anyway, they realized the charade was up, and tried to save face. Alternatively, they underestimated how much the Chareidi community listens to their Gedolim, and appreciates the value of Torah learning. Regardless, it definitely wasn’t due to “division”.
It was a bad call, and they should think twice before posting their stupidity for public consumption again.
Did anyone on this list first consult da’as torah before making such a public threat to the torah world?
This is great news. People are finally waking up.
first and foremost we have to fear and love and stand behind Hashem Y”B and therefore we have to despise and look down on anyone who deliberately tries to undermine his kingdom. and that is what the liberal israeli army does. with deliberately mixed gender serving as well as many other torah desecrations (whether it’s the liberal army chiefs or the corrupted court that’s at fault is irrelevant) the Israeli army today represents an uprising against Hashem Y”B, and anyone jewish person has an obligation to criticize and oppose them as loud as possible.