Rabbis Express Opposition To Charedi Military Enlistment Programs: ‘Undermine Religious Boundaries’

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — A gathering of rabbis organized by community leaders from the south of Israel and Roshei Yeshiva, members of the Councils of Torah Sages, was held on Sunday evening to express its opposition to military enlistment tracks such as “Kodkod,” (Military Intelligence) “Ma’alot Tzur,”(Technician) and similar programs, which they claim entice yeshiva students to join the army through various incentives. This despite the fact that those who enlist in these programs are not required to wear military uniforms during their service.

The conference was organized by the Ezram U’Meginam association and comes amid increased outreach efforts by the military and program operators targeting the charedi community. According to organizers, these campaigns attempt to “undermine religious boundaries” and persuade young men to enlist while concealing what they describe as the true nature of these tracks, namely that they constitute full military service.

Among the participants were members of the Council of Torah Sages, including:Rabbi Aviezer Piltz, Rabbi Aryeh Levi, and Rabbi Shmuel Betzalel.

Also in attendance were Rabbi Yehoshua Eichenstein (Rosh Yeshiva of Yad Aharon), who serves as president of the organization, along with city rabbis, community leaders, and yeshiva heads from Be’er Sheva, Ofakim, Netivot, Yeruham, Tifrach, Ashkelon, Kiryat Gat, Arad, Dimona, and other southern localities.

Sharp letters from leading rabbis opposing the Haredi enlistment tracks “Kodkod,” “Ma’alot Tzur,” and similar programs were sent to the gathering.

Rabbi Moshe Hillel Hirsch wrote: “All these tracks are an integral part of the army, and anyone who goes there places himself under military authority and becomes a full soldier. There is no basis whatsoever to permit this.”

Rabbi Dov Lando added in his own handwriting: “Beyond the personal harm he brings upon himself and his family, others may be drawn after him, and his sin is exceedingly grave.”

Rabbi Moshe Sternbuch sent a letter to the gathering of leading Torah authorities in southern Israel, writing: “I hereby issue a grave warning that no observant Jew should dare set foot in these programs. Anyone who enters them separates himself from the community of the G-d-fearing. It is a severe prohibition to promote or assist these enlistment tracks. Those involved in them risk bringing destruction upon the Jewish settlement in our Holy Land through their actions. It is a sacred duty to protest against anyone who publicizes these programs, and the community of God should refrain from giving any platform to such incitement.”

In a letter sent by Rabbi Meir Tzvi Bergman, he wrote:“The vineyard’s fence has been breached by those driven by impulsive people who come in disguise and deception to establish special tracks such as Kodkod and the like, enticing with respectable income and blinding people, since by doing so, they become subjugated to military authority.”

Rabbi Chaim Feinstein also wrote: “Whoever goes there places himself under military authority, whose purpose is the uprooting of religion, and accepts upon himself a burden that is the opposite of the yoke of Heaven. In doing so, he removes from himself the yoke of Heaven and enters a clear danger of abandoning Torah and its commandments in the gravest ways.”