As the coalition teeters on the brink of collapse over the failure to legislate a Chareidi draft law, Education Minister Yoav Kisch on Tuesday morning announced his intention to expand the Chareidi hesder system with the approval of a new Chareidi hesder track.
The goal is to integrate 3,000 Chareidim into hesder yeshivos by 2030.
The plan is not expected to be supported by the Chareidi MKs or mainstream Chareidi Rabbanim.
The move seeks to establish a new infrastructure for the integration of Chareidim into military service, which, according to the Ministry of Education, will be done “out of choice and out of a deep commitment to national partnership.”
According to the data presented by the ministry, there are currently 10 Chareidi Hesder yeshivos, with about 800 students. The plan outlines the expansion of the program to 25 hesder yeshivos with a total of 3,000 students by 2030.
The track is based on a combination of limmud Torah and military service in two main tracks—combat/combat support and technological (high-tech, advanced industries)—and civilian-professional training. The move is being promoted in cooperation with the Education Ministry and the official Union of Chareidi Hesder Yeshivos.
The five-year program is intended for young Chareidim aged 18-21 and includes studies for a degree in engineering, computer science, or other disciplines. At the end of the program, about 25% of the students are expected to integrate into combat tracks or serve as combat support in the IDF while maintaining continued Torah study.
Minister Kisch said that “expanding the Chareidi Hesder track is a moral and ethical step above all else—a move that seeks to allow young Chareidim to serve the country out of loyalty to the world of Torah, with complete identity and a sense of partnership.”
“The way to integrate Chareidim into the IDF cannot be based on coercion. It must be built on dialogue, mutual adaptation, and trust. This is the main lesson I have learned from in-depth familiarity with the field in recent years—and only in this way can we lead real change.”
“The expansion of the track expresses a responsible policy that recognizes the national need but understands that there is also a way to meet this need: to force less, listen more, and build a tailored track that will allow recruitment out of choice. I believe that this is how we will lay a real foundation for the future—thousands of Chareidi soldiers, including combat soldiers, who will be recruited within the framework of a partnership between Torah and work. I am happy to lead this vision as part of the education system.”
(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
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One Response
Why should anyone join an army that cares more for the lives of the enemies than their own soldiers. Fact is forty per cent of the dead soldiers were religious ones. Why. Because the leaders of the army are all lefty secular democrats. They bark orders and don’t care about the lives of young soldiers. This war could have been won in months without a single soldier getting killed. They care more about the Gaza civilians than their own Israeli soldiers.Had they just not allowed any food,water,medicine,fuel,electricity,internet access and most of all no media outlets to broadcast in Gaza the gazans would attack and loot the Hamas. But because the leftist leaders are more interested in being goyim like the west they don’t care about their own soldiers Death or wounded. Soldiers are forced to fight all the time with their hands tied behind their backs. They care more soldiers are mistreated in every way. While the fat cat Knesset members including Arabs have chauffeur driven cars and nice new shoes the soldiers in the army dont get replacements when they wear out after miles of running.The few replacements come in from donations of American Jews. The Supreme Court sits and sides with Arabs and wants Chareidim to go join the army while there is not one Chareidi judge on the Supreme Court. The old Satmar rabbi was right.When he took on the Zionist it wasn’t as bad as it is today. Today you have pork stores and tattoo shops and Toeiva parades in all cities. It was ok to throw out the Jews living in gush katif and treat them like stray dogs. They believed the promises of the fat cat pork eating politicians that they could settle that land forever. Chareidim are smart and right. We will never join an army that allows girls,homos and trans to be a part of. Deport the Arab family members who throw rocks. Stop their funding. That not. But Chareidi housewives who work can not be entitled to child care. Hopefully with more Chareidim being born will take over soon.