Hours-long consultations were held at the home of HaGaon HaChacham Moshe Tzadka, the Rosh Yeshivah of Yeshivas Porat Yosef, on Wednesday evening in the wake of the arrest and imprisonment of two Sephardi yeshivah bochurim at the home of their parents in Tel Aviv earlier this week.

Following the meeting, an announcement was issued on the Rosh Yeshivah’s behalf that stated, “HaChacham Tzadka in a dramatic instruction: Go out and demonstrate.”

“Tomorrow at 5:00 p.m. there will be a huge protest at the instruction of Maranan Rabanan Gedolei Yisrael, headed by Maran Rosh Yeshivah Chacham Moshe Tzadka. The protest will take place at ‘Tzomet Maran’ (Bar Ilan) in Jerusalem due to the conscription decree being carried out in the Chareidi community through legislation and coercion, and in particular in light of the arrest of two talmidei yeshivah from the Yitzchakoff family who were taken from their homes and arrested in the dead of night by the army authorities for the crime of limmud Torah.”

HaGaon HaRav Tzadka added, “It is unfathomable that a Ben Torah in whom the ruach Hashem pulsates will not go out tomorrow (Thursday) to the city streets to protest against the bizayon of lomdei Torah—the crown of creation who are being trampled to the dust in Eretz Hakodesh.”

The headline of Haderech, the Shas party’s newspaper, stated on Thursday morning: “A War For Hashem: The Olam HaTorah Prepares For A Staunch And Unprecedented Battle.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)