Several dozen religious Zionist rabbinical leaders, including heads of Hesder yeshivas, municipal rabbis and organization heads have come together to issue a joint call expressing their strong opposition to the “recruitment law” currently being advanced in the Government.
Among the signatories were Rabbi Yitzchak Shilat, founder and head of the Hesder Yeshiva in Maale Adumin, Rabbi Yaakov Medan, Head of the Har Etzion Hesder Yeshiva, Rabbi Benny Kalmanson, President of the Hesder Yeshiva in Otinel, Rabbi David Stav, Chief Rabbi of Shoham and Chair of Tzohar, Rabbi Daniel Shilo, rabbi of the Mishkan Meir community in Kedumim and a founder of the Gush Emunim movement and Rabbi Yochanan Fried, Chair of Beit Harav Kook.
In a publicly released letter, the signatories wrote, “We are hereby declaring that there is a clear and pertinent obligation based on our holy Torah that every man in Israel should contribute to this war and defend Israel from the tragedy that is befalling it, including those who study Torah and leading Torah scholars."
They added: “We implore our elected leaders, from all across the political spectrum, not to detach yourselves from the public interest, and refrain from supporting the Government bill as it has been proposed, which fails in even beginning to respond to the real security and social needs that Israel is facing at this time, as well as the needs which we know will continue to grow in the future.”
The letter concludes: “We call upon all those elected leaders to stand strong and to avoid ignoring the just, moral, and Torah-inspired call at this time, to refrain from falling victim to narrow-minded political considerations but rather to pursue a real solution that will result in strengthening cooperation between all aspects of Israel society, including the haredi community, by contributing to the defense of our land and its people, and to support all measures that will achieve that critical result.”