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Chareidi Draft Law Looks at Economic Sanctions


idffIt would appear that the Shaked Committee responsible to finalize the new chareidi conscription law is about to take a sharp turn away from penal sanction and heading towards broad economic sanctions.

Maariv on Tuesday, 11 Cheshvan reported learning the legal expects working with the committee have modified the law and plan to include harsh economic sanctions against chareidim failing to report for service in place of invoking the penal code against them. Shaked has instructed them to head in the direction of the economic sanctions, described as “stern”, which they believe will lead to increased induction. Interestingly, the Peri Committee which prepared the original draft law began with harsh economic sanctions but then abandoned that path amid widespread protests.

The proposed economic sanctions were prepared by officials affiliated with Hiddush and sent to the committee. Shaked passed the proposal to a number of committee members, and Maariv received a copy via email.

The Hiddush proposal for sanctions includes:

1. A cessation of all state funding for a talmid who fails to report for service as instructed.

2. A cessation of state funding for the yeshiva attended by the talmid.

3. Canceling government supplementary income payments to avreich families who do not report for service.

4. Canceling income tax benefits for talmidim.

5. Canceling Bituach Leumi assistance for talmidim.

6. Canceling discounts in housing and any/all government assistance in any form. (Exceptions to be made in the case of disabilities and sick people).

7. Prohibiting such people from working or holding a civil service position or working for any agency that receives state funding.

8. Prohibiting these people from taking the Chief Rabbinate of Israel semicha exam to obtain rabbinical ordination.

Bayit Yehudi probed the new formula with Yesh Atid officials, and Yair Lapid’s party appears willing to substitute penal code sanctions with these economic sanctions, Maariv adds. They feel this will be more effective since it eliminates sending military police after draft evaders. While Yesh Atid believes failure to report for service is a crime, it is not enforceable in today’s reality and therefore, the economic sanctions formula may be far more effective from the point of logistics involved in implementing these sanctions.

Maariv quotes Yesh Atid officials saying “The message we wish to send is these sanctions will create an economic incentive to serve. In addition, one who does not will not only be hurting himself, but his colleagues in the same yeshiva.

Shaked now indicates she too would support such economic sanctions.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)



12 Responses

  1. This is much worse. People would not be sent to jail en masse for failing to report–it’s politically difficult. But withholding payments is much easier, and hence, much more likely to be invoked.

  2. So families of terrorists and common criminals get welfare, but not families of yeshiva students? And is this not similar to Germany’s policy of punishing families of anyone suspected of anti-regime activities? How will they deal with hareidim who refuse to register their marriages with the government so their wives, children and in-laws won’t be subject to retaliatory sanctions (remember, there is no halachic requirement to register your marriage with the government, and no one by any shitah would day “dinah malchusa dina” applies during such active perseuction). Also note that many of the penalties are only effective against zionists, since non-zionists don’t learn in government yeshivos or seek government jobs – meaning the law targets those frum people who support the regime (any chance Neturei Karta slipped them a bribe to do something to encourage pro-medinah hareidim to become anti-medinah).

    Why should the Arabs try so hard to destroy Israel, when the zionists are trying hard to accomplish that by themselves?

  3. These reshoim are really trying their best. Don’t they realize that neither prison sentences nor financial losses will break our will to do the rotzon HaShem as dictated to us by our Gedolim.

    Their idea to penalize the Yeshiva too, just proves their blind hatred. If they really want us to join the army, then taking away the funding to the Yeshiva after one boy doesn’t sign up, will cause all the rest to certainly not sign up as the Yeshiva has lost the funding anyway. It would be more effective to reduce the funding per boy as then the pressure is that much greater on each boy. They just want to hurt us.

    אלה ברכב ואלה בסוסים ואנחנו בשם ה’ אלוקינו נזכיר: המה כרעו ונפלו ואנחנו קמנו ונתעודד

  4. If you don’t contribute to the country that you live in, i guess they take away entitlements. Charedim would be smart to offer a year of service and have their girls do sherut leumi. Not to much to ask

  5. #4
    Rasha!
    sherut leumi is Universally a cardinal Sin

    Plus,When did YOU do for the British Mandate,or during Turkish Rule?
    You still finagled the whole country,shutting out the yekkes and Charedim

    If all would have played (even a little)fair,the Charedim and yekkes today would dominate the state.
    You should serve them!

  6. About Time
    Sheirut Leumi is not universally a cardinal sin. Let’s calm the vitriol and talking points.

    Akuperma, this is a far cry from Germany. Medina’s Yisrael is the largest financial supporter of Torah learning in the world. They are cutting back for those that do not abode by legal personal responsibilities and encourage such behavior. Let’s not play the Nazi card so easily. The Nazis killed six million people. The IDF protects six and a half million Jews (physically and often spiritually). The IDF is on the only army that has legal shabbos standards and is entirely kosher (food) in 2000 years. They have a way to go, but Nazi Germany its not.

    I don’t agree with these measures, but for a secular country they make sense.

  7. #4

    M’chutzif, and Achzor!!!!

    How do you have the chutzpa to speak against the gedolei Hador? Fech Disgusting!!!

    How does TYW have a right to even publish apikorsis like your self. Yes it is apikorsis, go read sifrei Mussur

    And do u have any feelings for bnei torah who in their zchus you and I live????

    Their kids are starving, and you spit your venom on them? ( I assume you had breakfast lunch and dinner today!!!)

    Go do some cheshbon Hanefesh!!!!

  8. The cruelty is unbelievable worse than Neture Karta going to Iran and as bad as Germany as Akuperma wrote in #2’s excellent post.

    #4 So you’re suggesting that charedim should compromise a bit of their yiddishkeit?

    As soon as Gedolei Yisrael will implement their plans, the reshaim will be quiet.

  9. I wholeheartedly agree with economic sanctions. Putting avreichem in jail will lead to ugly scenes and violent confrontations that nobody wants.

    Economic sanctions make more sense because they are midah keneged midah: You do not support the medinah, so the medinah does not support you.

    Economic sanctions also make it easier for avreichem to reconsider their options. This is much more difficult to do when one is behind bars.

    Moreover, many would willingly serve in the IDF were it not for a well-founded fear of persecution from their communities. Economic pressure might provide a ‘cover’ – a reason to serve without fear of retribution.

    Ultimately, jail is for criminals and avreichem who refuse to serve in the IDF are not criminals. They are being irresponsible, but prison is not the place to teach responsibility.

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