For many Israelis, military service is seen as a national duty and essential for the survival and well-being of our nation. For the Ultra-Orthodox or Haredi community, however, military service is incompatible with their way of life and perceived as a threat to their religious existence. Many within this community believe that their study of the Torah is what truly protects Israel and the IDF from our enemies. The differing opinions have long been a divide in Israeli society, and now, nine months into an existential war with no end in sight, this issue has finally come to a head.
How can we hope to reconcile these opposing views and unite the country? We must first gain understanding of the complexities of each position.
Join Ilana Rachel Daniel as we review the history of Haredi exemptions and how they came into use and the perspectives of both the religious and secular service to Israel today.
‘Without the structure of our Torah we are not Jews,
without our land we are not sovereign and subject to every horror that can and can't be named -
but without unity we are not a nation.”
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