Last night (Sunday), the “Partners for Service” forum held an extended Zoom meeting where they launched a unique proposal for integrating Haredim into military service. The forum, consisting of around 4,000 women from the national-religious sector, whose family members are in long-term reserve duty, drafted this plan after consultations with military figures and professional women.
Key Points of the Proposal:
- Immediate Initial Draft Notice: All Haredi individuals required to enlist will receive an immediate draft notice, with guidance towards frameworks suited to the Haredi lifestyle.
- Outstanding Scholar Quotas: An exemption track for outstanding students, similar to the model for outstanding athletes or artists.
- State Benefits Conditional on Service: Eligibility for economic benefits such as subsidized daycare, participation in affordable housing lotteries, etc., will be granted only to those who have served in the military.
In addition to presenting the proposal to Knesset members, ministers, and municipal leaders, forum members plan to raise public awareness through rallies at various locations in Jerusalem and appeals to rabbis from the religious Zionist community.
Service as a “Commandment of War”
The meeting comes against the backdrop of the security situation and the proposed draft law, which the forum claims favors the Haredi community at the expense of all citizens. They emphasized the importance of IDF service as a religious value, no less than a security necessity: “We are in an existential war. Torah and its study are important values, but so is enlistment in the IDF as a commandment of war. Our enemies do not distinguish between sectors, and thus there is an immediate security need to integrate Haredim into the IDF.”
The women of the forum seek to bring about a change in perception and strengthen mutual responsibility among all parts of Israeli society. “The solution we proposed is fair and integrates security needs with respect for the Haredi way of life.”
