Shalom Chaverim!
I just had another busy week! In ICC we are gradually approaching modern Israel history, which I find really interesting! This week we did a cultures project in which there were seven groups that had varied themes and went to different parts of Jerusalem to interview different individuals. My group visited Mea Shearim, an ultra-orthodox Haredim neighborhood. Our theme regarded serving in the Israel Defense Force. The issue of Ultra-Orthodox Jews deferring from army service is a major concern among Israeli citizens. I then created a newspaper article pertaining to this subject. Here's what I wrote:
How do the Haredim Serve the Country?
Is military duty the only way to serve Israel, or does learning Torah contribute to protecting the state as well?
This issue of whether or not Haredi men and women should serve in the Israel Defense Force has been a major issue since 1948 when Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion granted 400 Haredim deferral from military service in order to study in yeshivah full time. According to Hiddush, the total number of Haredi men who request deferrals for the sake of devoting themselves to Torah education is about 55,000(2009).
In a recent visit to Mea She'arim, I interviewed several Haredi men and women about their feelings towards serving in the army. Mea She'arim, established in 1847, is inhabited by Haredim Jews who follow strict interpretations of Jewish law, and continues to retain the flavor of an Eastern European shtetl. During my interviews I asked the Haredim if they felt they should serve in the army like all other Israeli citizens, and if not how do they feel they serve the country. Tami, a Haredi teen said she would never go into the army, and that girls in general should not serve. "I contribute by doing mitzvoth, having good morals, and studying torah." Rachel and Michal similarly felt by learning Torah they do not need to serve the country. "There are enough secular people to go to the army, it's unnecessary for Haredim to go." Both girls also felt Hashem protects Israel, not the army. All three men interviewed agreed that by learning they are helping the Jews. Jacob* said, "The army is not the place for religious Jews, and Rabbis are against it." He further stated that God saves us and keeps us alive.
While the Haredim feel they are fulfilling their duty as citizens in Israel, many people, including myself, feel their reasons are unacceptable. Such attitudes give the Haredim a bad image to the rest of the Jewish Israeli population, who serve in the IDF because it is the law and their duty. Furthermore, a large majority of the Haredim do not believe in the Israeli state, yet they receive government funding in order to study Torah all day with no income, while continuing to have many children to feed. The Tal Law, which was meant to change enlistment requirements for ultra Orthodox Jews in 2005, has proven to be a failure. So what is the answer? Do we continue to let citizens of this nation defer from the army to learn the ancient texts, while we send the rest of our youth into battle? I and the rest of the population would like to know the answer.
On Thursday we travelled to Tel Aviv and visited Independence Hall where David Ben Gurion proclaimed the existence of the modern state of Israel on May 14, 1948. In addition, we toured the Palmach Museum, a very interesting museum with multi-media presentations and learned about the state's early defenders who were instrumental in aiding ships that were trying to help Jewish refugees reach the shores of Eretz Israel after WWII and who were also essential in providing aid via convoys to Jerusalem when it was under seige in 1948.
This past Shabbat I spent a wonderful few days with my friend Bri at Sheli's home. We attempted to make dried fruit and treated ourselves to a visit to a spa (my first time to do so).
Upon returning to the Chava, most of the group attended a bonfire for Lag B Omer. I continued my studies. AP US History exam is approaching rapidly (6 days). I'll be so relieved when AP exams are over! Sadly, that won't be until May 21st.
See you in less than a month!
Love,
Hannah
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