Draft Law

Victory for Zionist Yeshivas: State Recognizes Torah Study

First official state recognition of the value of Torah study as Zionist yeshiva students allowed to continue studies.

Feiglin: Lapid’s ‘Contribution’ was a Loss to Army

MK Feiglin slams equal service ‘stupidity,’ warns of ‘hidden unemployment’ that drains IDF’s power.

MK Lipman Urges Criminal Sanctions for Hareidi Draft-Dodging

MK Dov Lipman supports criminal sanctions for hareidi draft-dodgers, asks: why should they be different from anyone else?

MK Shelah: Only We Had the Guts to Propose Service Cut

Yesh Atid MK Ofer Shelah praises the IDF's decision to cut army service from 36 to 32 months.

Bennett: We're Making History

Jewish Home chairman hails the new draft law as “an historic change”. Shaked Committee to begin voting Monday on new draft law.

Wortzman: Coalition Agreement Says No Criminal Sanctions

Deputy Education Minister reminds Lapid that he agreed not to impose criminal sanctions on hareidi draft evaders.

Finance Committee Chairman: We Will Stop Lapid

MK Slomiansky warns Lapid is attacking hareidim and Judea-Samaria to gain in polls, threatens to stop budget to release yeshiva funds.

MK Lipman: Draft Law Will Unify the Nation

MK Dov Lipman discussed the new law on equitable IDF service with soldiers, and came away very optimistic.

IDF Soldier Attacked In Bnei Brak

Days after massive hareidi protest of yeshiva funding cuts, soldier attacked and sent to hospital. Follows hareidi MK warnings to Lapid.

MK Stern: We Hope Hareidim Will Live Up to Their Obligations

MK Elazar Stern says discussions about 'sanctions' by MKs dealing with drafting hareidi youth are unnecessary.

Zionist, Hareidi Yeshivas Join Forces to Fight Funding Cuts

Associations for Yeshivas across the religious spectrum join to petition High Court to cancel funding cuts for Torah study.

Hareidi MKs to Lapid: Go Ahead, Quit

"We would be delighted if Lapid resigns from the government," says MK Moses in response to Finance Minister's threats.

Lapid: No Criminal Sanctions on Hareidim, No Coalition

Lapid says new enlistment law will pass, demands it include punishment. On peace talks, 'after evictions we'll all be different people.'

170 Hareidi Soldiers Sworn In Amid Protests

170 new hareidi soldiers join the Nahal Hareidi, as thousands protest new draft law and cutting of funding to yeshivas.

Legal Expert: Draft Law 'Shameful, Scandalous' - and Ineffective

Attorney Yoram Sheftel slams the Equal Burden Law calling for hareidi draft, claims it will encourage more men to dodge the draft.

Protest Video: 'We'll Survive Our Stupid Country'

Hareidi MK warns pressuring of hareidim will lead to extremism, accuses Lapid of playing with fire for political gain.

Hareidim Burn Police Car in Ashdod

Video shows hareidim torching squad car as thousands of hareidim protest in Jerusalem, Bnei Brak and Ashdod.

Hareidi Politician: Protests weren't our Idea

Rabbi Auerbach acted on his own when he gave instructions to demonstrate, says a UTJ source.

Hareidim Protest Yeshiva Funding Freeze: 'We're Ready for War'

Thousands of hareidim take to the streets in Jerusalem and Bnei Brak over freezing yeshiva funding, decry 'spiritual holocaust'.

Yeshiva Head Says Lapid Funding Cut Shows True Intentions

Rabbi Ronsky: Lapid’s stance on yeshiva budgets - including those whose students enlisted - brings his intent into question.

Shas MK Slams ‘Outrageous Persecution’ of Yeshivas

MK Nissim Ze'ev urges gov't to reconsider, says hareidi army service can happen ‘without or sanctions.’

Lapid Retroactively Cuts Yeshiva Funding

Lapid utilizes technicality to take back February funding and ensure Supreme Court ruling against hareidi yeshivas is carried out.

Hareidi MK: Supreme Court 'Declared War On Us'

MK Gafni charges Supreme Court of 'never ruling in favor of hareidi public,' sees recent ruling against yeshiva funding as 'culture war.'

Lapid Lauds Supreme Court Ruling Against Yeshivas

Court decision to annul funding for yeshivas a 'reminder of the law' says Lapid; MK Shaked calls ruling meaningless pressure.

Bennett: Court’s Intervention Just Makes This Harder

Minister Naftali Bennett says the Supreme Court is making it harder, not easier, to enlist hareidi men in the army.

Anti-Hareidi Activists Hail Court Ruling to Defund Yeshivas

Proponents of hareidi enlistment say Supreme Court 'put an end to the injustice' of funding yeshivas whose students don't serve in IDF.

Supreme Court: No Govt. Funds if Hareidi Students Don’t Enlist

Supreme Court rules government must not fund yeshivas for students who have not enlisted in the IDF.

Bennett: Jewish Home Could Leave Coalition Over Kerry Plan

Bennett rejects coalition 'soap opera,' says will leave coalition if peace deal doesn't meet his party's values.

Yaalon: Hareidi Brigade Successful Beyond Expectations

Defense Minister praises majority-hareidi brigade on its anniversary.

Slashed Hareidi Budgets Blamed on ‘Fundamental Hate’

Hareidi MK: decision to cut budgets for hareidi men – while funding draft dodgers – proves the real problem is hatred.

Supreme Court Pushes Govt. To Enlist Hareidim

Judges demand govt. speed up legislative proceedings in drafting new hareidi IDF enlistment law.

Lapid: Fire the Chief Rabbis

Finance Minister promises to fire Israel's chief rabbis over ruling that Jewish law forbids religious girls from enlisting in the IDF.

Chabad 'Shluchim' to Join National Service Program

Chabad emissaries who serve in Chabad houses worldwide, will be enrolled in the state's National Service program.

Criticism in Shas Over Education Ministry Agreement

All Shas MKs summoned to discuss agreement that lets Education Ministry partially control Shas schools.

MK Stern Says Chabad Emissaries Should Count as National Service

As part of debate over hareidi enlistment, MK suggests Israel recognize Chabad youth who volunteer abroad as doing national service.

MK Porush Complains to US Ambassador About Draft 'Edict'

Israeli rabbis are headed to the US to stop the "edict" on drafting hareidi youths, MK Meir Porush wrote in a letter to the US ambassador

Hareidi Brigade Wins IDF Chief of Staff Prize

Nahal Hareidi makes history by winning the prestigious prize for the first time, enjoys sharp rise in enlistment despite Knesset debates.

Hassidic Leadership Confab to Set Policy on Enlistment

Grand Rabbis of Belz, Gur, Wizhnitz, Bayan, Slonim, Tzanz, other hassidic sects to decide how to respond to demands to serve country.

Hareidi Rabbi Threatens: Meah Shearim Riots ‘Just a Promo’

Hareidi rabbi warns of world-wide campaign against forced enlistment. ‘Netanyahu will learn,’ he says.

IDF to Cut 40% of Non-Army Personnel

Move to affect non-IDF military personnel, such as police, Mossad, and the Shin Bet. Hareidim may replace lost manpower.

Yaalon: It’s Not Fair, but We Can’t Make Hareidi Men Serve

Defense Minister tells high school students that they deserve equal treatment, but that forcing hareidi men to enlist won’t pay.

Hareidim Protest Draft-Avoiders' Arrest

Hundreds of hareidim gathered outside the military prison where two 18-year-olds were jailed.

MK Calls on IDF To Be Gentle With Yeshiva Student Arrests

In light of protests over draft-dodging arrest, MK David Azoulay calls for IDF to proceed with caution in dealing with yeshiva students.

Protest, Clashes as Hareidi Youth Arrested over Draft

Arrest of hareidi youth who failed to report to induction office sparks violent protests.

Hundreds of Hareidi Israelis Protest For Release of Draft-Dodger

Hundreds demonstrate outside of Prison 6, where yeshiva student is being held for dodging draft; Rabbi Shmuel Auerbach in attendance.

Rabbi Laments: MKs are Killing Hareidi Enlistment

The government’s attempt to push hareidi men into the army is causing them to leave in droves, former IDF rabbi warns.

Gantz: A Hareidi Soldier in IDF Will Leave IDF Hareidi

In Shaked Committee meeting, IDF Chief of Staff states 'The IDF does not see the hareidi-religious community as an enemy.'

Bennett: Likud to Decide on Jail for Hareidi Draft Dodgers

Bennett: Likud will ultimately decide whether hareidi draft-dodgers are sent to jail, or receive economic sanctions instead.

MK Stern: Some Things More Important than Torah Study

Another heated debate in Knesset’s ‘Equal Burden of Service’ committee as Stern backs criminal charges for hareidi draft-dodgers.

Report: Draft-Dodging Sanctions to Be Economic, Not Criminal

New draft law for hareidi-religious sector set to impose economic sanctions - not criminal punishment - against draft-dodgers.

Dozens of Haredim Inducted into IDF Technical Positions

Haredi draft part of project to integrate more soldiers into intelligence; stats also released today regarding drafts in major cities

Hareidi MK: Are We Still Allowed to Breathe?

Tempers high as MKs talk about punishing hareidi men who refuse to join the army. MK: Can we still breathe?

Hareidi, Secular MKs Threaten 'Culture War'

Debate on sanctions against hareidi men who do not enlist turns ugly.

Hareidi Soldiers Among Most Active in Fighting Terror

Hareidi-religious soldiers in Netzach Yehuda had the most ‘encounters’ this year, MKs learn.

Rabbi David Yosef to PM: Cancel Hareidi Enlistment

Rabbi Ovadia Yosef’s son tells Netanyahu that his father was deeply troubled by hareidi enlistment law.

Livnat: Bring in Hareidi Recruits, But Ensure IDF Women's Rights

Minister Limor Livnat is worried that the influx of hareidi recruits into the IDF could cause tensions with women serving in the army.

Yaalon: 'Hareidi Enlistment Law Subject to My Interpretation.'

Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon hints at compromise over bill, says he'll be bound by the spirit of the law but not to its details.

Hareidi Extremists Publish Guide to Military Prison

Booklet urges hareidi youth to risk prison rather than enlist. ‘This isn’t a Soviet state – yet.’

First Pre-Army Academy for Hareidi Students

New "mechina" school will give hareidi teenagers a year of intensive pre-army preparation, Torah study.

Yeshiva Funding to be Based on IDF Enlistment

Blow to hareidi yeshiva system as Education Ministry plans to link yeshiva funding to IDF enlistment.