yichusdik -“I said in a material way. If Israel turned into a failed state with a ruined economy because the government was measuring spiritual credit in figuring out its budget, there would be no more subsidies available for yeshivaleit, draft or no draft.”
You’re right, when Israel fails – only then can they renege on their deals. Until then Torah learners are doing more than gun shooters!
“As far as the law is concerned, over 60 years, governments change, laws change, and facts on the ground change.”
The only thing that has changed is the avg. Israeli citizen who doesn’t believe in Zionism anymore. They just want to live like a Western Goy -so they don’t want to pay taxes that supports some religious Jew. They should move to Uganda. Oh that’s right they all are dying to come here to the US. The only ones that still believe in the Zionist ideals are the MO or Mizrachists. They should serve in the army, not the Charedim.
“I beg to differ. I have had this conversation with MKs and with Israeli political leaders and diplomats personally, and with many secular Israelis who are prepared to tell their elected representatives to pursue these options, and I am also aware of the options for national service currently being used by National Religious young women instead of army, and such work in hospitals, schools, with the aged, with new immigrants, is precisely what they are doing right now. And what a wonderful opportunity for kiruv, too! so sad you ignore it.”
Maybe your Mizrachi politicians said this, but the Defense Minister Barak and the head of the commitee Plesner said this won’t be an option for most Charedim. Stop living in your MO Zionist dream world. Just be happy you can serve in the army acc. to your community – so you don’t have to sit and learn all day which is very hard mentally.