Footage circulated on Monday on social media has reignited the public debate over the conscription of charedim into the Israeli army and sparked anger among reservists.
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In the video, published on the charedi channel “HaPargod”, the head of the Orayta Yeshiva, Rabbi David Shaffer, is seen raising a glass in a “L’chaim” toast at Ben Gurion Airport after successfully putting about 90 yeshiva students on a flight for the traditional trip to the tomb of Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk in Poland for his Yahrzeit during the ongoing war.
הפרגוד: ראש ישיבת “אורייתא” הרב דוד שפר שותה לחיים בשדה התעופה על שהצליח להעלות לטיסה 90 בחורים לנסיעה המסורתית לליזענסק כמידי שנה למרות המלחמה. pic.twitter.com/DrDJd4BorG
— הפרגוד (@moshepargod) March 9, 2026
Following the publication, criticism erupted on social media. Dozens of users, including reservists, strongly criticized both the trip itself and its timing during wartime, arguing that it highlights the sense of inequality in the burden between those serving in the military and parts of the public who do not participate in the fighting.
Bereaved mother Lily Dery responded by posting Rabbi Elimelech’s prayer “Aderaba”, which includes the line:“And let no hatred arise from one person toward another, Heaven forbid,” adding the comment: “Those who understand will understand.”
Communications adviser Dvir Luzon, who is currently serving in the reserves, wrote:
“I was called up to reserve duty. I left at home a wife who is still recovering from childbirth and a one-month-old baby, and I have no idea when I’ll see them again.”
He added: “But the main thing is that Rabbi David Shefer flew 90 guys abroad for a vacation. While we’re suffocating from longing and our wives are collapsing alone, there are those living in a movie and hanging out in duty-free. It’s a spit in the face of every reservist. Simply disgraceful.”
Comedian Matan Tzur also reacted to the publication, writing:“This fracture, one that parts of the charedi sector are creating with their own hands, I don’t know how we will fix it.”
How did 90 people fly out of Israel when each emergency flight is waitlisted for 2 weeks, with limited seats per flight?
I’m saddened by this. Some people are completely oblivious and clueless about the realities of day to day life.
The ongoing war against the mullahs in Iran and hezbollah up North, as we speak,
the missiles bombarding Israeli cities and towns, play no role in some peoples minds and actions and these are supposedly smart individuals, in fact. Very sad !!!
To sum it up in one word
***DISGUSTING***
As was recently pointed out on VIN news, a number of Chassidim from Israel, who traveled to Poland, were accosted by an anti-semitic Polish airport worker, who cursed at them, and stated to them “Why do you come here-this is MY country”. I just can’t see Jew, whether Ultra-Orthodox, or otherwise visiting a country, whose soil is soaked with half of the Jewish victims of the Nazi tyranny. Also, the Polish citizenry and the Polish government have selective amnesia, regarding the participation of Poland in the Holocaust. In short, Jews should stay away from Poland, period.
Rav Mailech ZY”A would’ve said stay in EY and learn Mishnayos & Noam Elimelech in my memory and l’zchus Klal Yisrael in these trying times.
I’m sure they clearly meant l’sheim shomayim. Let’s not disparage what was already done with Lashon Harah, that makes things worse for us.
I won’t condemn before hearing his side of the story, but the optics are awful.
Sad to read this.
Is this real? If so, these are frat boys in long black jackets, not frum yidden.
It’s not the right thing, and should not be publicized.
But take a deep breath everyone. No need to get overworked on this. There are far more important things.
Lali Deri – not Lilly .
Her son, a Rav was killed in Gaza over a year ago.
Why aren’t they complaining about the thousands of non-religious backpacking in Timbuktu or Indonesia?
These people aren’t walking in the Torah. King David would not recognize these people. Absolutely asinine. You think when you pass to olam haba that Hashem would think these actions as righteous. It just makes people look at these people and say, how bizarre and strange.
Wow a piece just to stir up hatred. If any of these guys on board were wanted currently for any type of service they wouldn’t be able to fly out, so now you’re just complaining about citizens taking a flight that was available to them with their own money
Lacking from this discussion is the idea that we all have to learn and can’t join the army. Ok so who is really learning? If during the zman you run to Uman, Meron, Lezhenisk, (Ok R shayla is bein hazmanim) etc. Is that learning? I am not even talking about the Shuvu bonim or other berslavors who are “learning” but just dance na na nanchmun muaman all day. Even the more moderates like to say oh those that are “not learning” should fight. But they mean the ones in the street half OTD. I mean all these who don’t take it like a job. My rebbe in EY didn’t wnat you to come to his shuir unless you stay tilll Rosh chodesh. All these americans that are learning and come back for every simcha plus purim are not really learning either.
The chutzpah of these bochurs! What a shanda! So glad I cut all donations to haredim in Israel. I give only to Zionist yeshivot and orgs.
I can’t understand on a logical level why a Jew that believes in Hashem and tzadikim could possibly be unhappy that Jewish people are going to kivuray tzadikim to daven so I must come to the conclusion that this is a big lie and no jew is actually unhappy or they were caught in a moment of shigayon and did teshuva in regards to non believers let them say what they want because they’re end will be the same as all the evil ones before them
עין הרע
This is simple case of Ein HaRA.
why not complain about weddings and engagements and bar mitzvahs and brises???
Why should people not go to Lizensk for the Yartzeit?
Shame on VIN NEWS for trying to ignite the flames of hatred on brothers who are being attacked from all sides, just don’t blame Tyler Oliveira when you suffer from the same sick hate of attacking people for the life they choose to live!!!
CULT.
Also, the great merit that they have by withstanding the great pressures and they dont join the defiling by design Israeli army makes their tefilos even more powerful. I’m sure that their tefilos at the grave of the holy Rebbe R’ Meilech saves many lives in Eretz Yisroel
Aveira goreres aveira . . .
It’s a pity that some jews don’t appreciate the great merit of praying at the grave of the holy Rebbe R’ Elimelech, which has been a custom by pious jews for generations, even when travel was much more difficult and dangerous than today, knowing that especially on the yahrzeit, great yeshuos are being brought down in the merit of this great tzaddik, especially in a time like this when am yisroel needs a big yeshua. Thank you so much, Yeshiva Boys, for taking on this task on behalf of Klal Yisroel.
PS. If you have adopted a new belief system, and will probably change to another one in the future, please don’t expect that pious jews will abandon the heritage that they proudly embrace.
Its time for people to realize that normal people go on with life, even when there’s a war.
chilonim just hate Torah
This isn’t a vacation, it is a holy pilgrimage of prayer and devotion. This veneration helps the Jewish People more than the war mongers who put klal yisroel in danger by their instigations. There are thousands of Jews in Iran who live safely because they live as dhimmis as our tzaddikim and chachamim in eretz yisroel did for centuries. Eretz Yisroel is only dangerous to Jews because of Zionism. Before the 1890s, there was nothing like October 7 in Eretz yisroel.
Let them enjoy what little they have to enjoy.,.