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| The protests begin (Forward) |
There are three things that contribute to this phenomenon. One is that they keep gravitating to stringencies not adhered to by their parents. Instead they apparently prefer to follow in the footsteps of Charedim to their right. Another is that they refuse to get an education in Limudei Chol (secular studies). And yet another is that they refuse to serve in the army.
To their right are Charedim who are already pretty isolated. They consist of communities that - for example - have separate sides of the street for men and woman to walk on. Mainstream Charedim in the Yeshiva world have started taking upon themselves some of those stringencies too - refusing for example to publish any pictures of women in their periodicals or ads.
That kind of separation leads to avoiding the outside world as much as possible since there is no such separation like that there. Even though there are plenty of mainstream Charedim that do work in the outside world they do so reluctantly as a matter of need - in order to support their typically large families. (On the average 7 children per family). They do not mix or socialize in any way. Reserving that only for their religious home environment. Away from the immoral influences of the secular culture in which they must make their living.
Their lack of any secular secular education limits the kinds of jobs they have. Which for many often means low paying jobs within their own religious community - thus allowing a great number of them to remain within their own environment. Safely away from the influences of the immoral culture of the outside world. Thus adding to their isolationist trends.
Avoiding the influences of secular culture is the primary reason they avoid the army. They want to avoid what they see as an almost certain degree of assimilation into the secular culture which in many cases they have seen dropping observance altogether.
This is the real reason they do not want to be drafted. That they avoid being killed in battle is of course a major side benefit. Even though the Charedi leadership keeps talking about this being a war against the Torah, I think what they see as almost certain assimilation out of observance is what they fear the most. Because that is what they see happening all the time to those charedim that have joined the IDF.
I don’t see how leading a lifestyle that is so radically diffferent from – not only the general public – but even the non Charedi religious public while increasingly filling their lives with stringencies will not result in being seen as a cult. They may not be there yet. But that seems to be where they are going as they increasingly remove themselves from the rest of the Israeli people.
They may believe that it is the will of God to separate themselves that way so they can live their lives in most pristine religious way possible. But I believe that is the opposite of what God wants. He does not want us to isolate ourselves from Jews with different Hashkafos. Or even (perhaps even especially) from secular Jews. What God wants of those observant Jews is to be involved with all of their fellow Jews. We are supposed to be responsible for their material and spiritual welfare. Not just our own kind.
Instead of isolationism, integration should be the goal. It isn't about our being influenced by the cultural immorality that exists in the outside world. It is about influencing our fellow Jews to lead holier lives and showing them by example the joy and fulfilment that a life filled with purpose can provide.
There is no better time to integrate with them than now, post October 7th when there has been an awaking of Jewish identity by so many secular Jews. That includes getting a secular education that will at the very least allow them to have a common bond with them. It also includes service in the IDF That would eliminate a major point of contention between them. Paving the way to a better, more productive relationship
On the other hand by continuing to isolate they will instead be writing them off. A price to high to pay to live in the lofty world of pristine unfettered Torah observance that isolationism would give them. In my view that would be a terrible violation of principle of Arvus – the responsibility we Jews all have for the material and spiritual welfare for one another
By insisting on isolating themselves they are basically admitting that the immoral influences of secular society will be stronger over Charedi Jews than will religious influences will be over secular Jews. Which doesn't say much for their educational paradigm - if true.
What about the apparent statistics that show many Charedim that join the IDF so often go OTD?
Well if you think about it, the only Charedim that dare to join the IDF now are the ones that are defying the will of Charedi leaders in the first place. Meaning they alreadyhave one foot out the door. Making that statistic totally misleading if not downright false.
The truly dedicated Charedim that join the IDF would not only retain their religious standards but would be in a position to influence secular Jews to become more observant – by simply modeling the exemplary behavior they so often exhibit.
What about the other argument the draft is a war would decimate the Yeshiva and Kollel system? They have to know that this would not happen. That there will still be exponentially more students left to study Torah even if then there was just q few generations ago even if 25% of them are drafted. Which – if I understand correctly – is the goal of the IDF. They can also look to all the Religious Zionist Yeshivas and see that Torah study did not stop even though almost all of the RZ students learn Torah and serve when they are called up.
This all seems so basic to me. And yet the fear that their entire world will be upended seems to motivate their isolationist tendencies That will end with them becoming so isolated from the rest of he Jewish world that they will be hated and eventually be seen as a cult. I do not believe for a moment that this is what God wants.
