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| Suffering Charedim (Mishpacha) |
Since the October 7th massacre, that debate
has taken on an exponential urgency. Israel’s response required an
unprecedented mobilization of reserve soldiers, many of whom have spent months
in combat, risking death or serious injury while their families lived with
constant fear. Even those who returned physically unharmed have often paid a
tremendous price in lost careers, financial hardship, PTSD, and strained family
relationships. Their sacrifice for the country is immeasurable.
None of this is new.
Before addressing Mr. Paley’s arguments, I want to correct a
misnomer often used by Charedi leadership. Referring to themselves as the Olam
HaTorah is offensive. Not because they are not part of the Torah
world, but because the term implies they alone represent it. They do not. The
Religious Zionist community is every bit as committed to Torah study lishmah while
simultaneously serving in the defense of the Jewish people. A more accurate
name for this group would be the Olam HaCharedim.
Ironically, Mr. Paley acknowledges the enormous sacrifice of
the Religious Zionist community:
“Our hearts went out to a community that has lost so many
sons, husbands, students, and friends — a community that has demonstrated
extraordinary self-sacrifice on behalf of Klal Yisrael and paid an unimaginably
heavy price.”
That is precisely why his conclusion is so baffling.
Despite recognizing this sacrifice, he doubles down on the
claim that efforts to draft Charedim constitute a war against Torah world. Only
now he accuses the Religious Zionists of being the most aggressively against
it. In his view, the issue is no longer Israel’s desperate manpower shortage
but an ideological assault on the Torah world.
As evidence, he points to Religious Zionist opposition to
legislation that would have postponed the draft issue until after the next
election while ending arrests of draft resisters. To him, that proves Religious
Zionists are targeting Torah itself. As if there was no Torah being studied at
all in their Yeshivos!
He then recounts a conversation with the Rosh Yeshivah of a
leading Hesder Yeshiva. Mr. Paley complained that Religious Zionist leaders had
not spoken forcefully enough against what Charedim perceive as persecution.
The Rosh Yeshiva thanked him for raising the point and
acknowledged that perhaps more rabbanim should express that concern. Then he
asked if he could share a personal story…
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