“We Will Die and Not Enlist!”: Thousands Protest in Yerushalayim as Police Clash with Bnei Torah

Thousands of bnei Torah — yeshivah bochurim, avreichim, rabbanim and roshei yeshivah — gathered in the streets of Yerushalayim on Thursday to protest the ongoing government efforts to force lomdei Torah into the army. The peaceful protest, held at a major intersection in the capital, was led by the gedolei Torah of the Sefardi tzibbur and ended in a shocking display of violence by police.

The atzeres was held in response to the recent arrest of two yeshivah brothers — talmidim of Yeshivas Meoros HaTorah — and escalating attempts to detain dozens more bochurim from their homes in recent weeks. The protest was both a call to tefillah and an outcry against the gezeira.

Leading the protest were some of the most prominent Sefardi gedolim, including Rosh Yeshivas Porat Yosef Rav Moshe Tzadkah, Rav Yehuda Cohen, Rosh Yeshivas Yakirei Yerushalayim and member of the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah, the mekubal Rav Binyamin Shmueli, Rav Yitzchak Tawil, Rav Meir Bruchah, Rav Yaakov Ades, and many others.

Chaotic scenes unfolded as Border Police officers, some mounted on horses and others wielding batons, stormed the crowd in an effort to break up the demonstration. Video footage shows one officer punching a bochur in the face and knocking his hat to the ground.

Despite the violent crackdown, the protestors did not retreat. With cries of “נעבור ולא נתגייס” — “We will die and not enlist” — the bochurim stood shoulder to shoulder, clutching signs decrying the government’s plan to uproot thousands of lomdei Torah from their batei medrashim.

Three protestors were arrested during the hafgana.

Prior to the violence, Rav Moshe Tzadka addressed the crowd with visible emotion, declaring: “It is forbidden to obey the government in this matter. We go to jail — not to the army!”

He warned that any future legislation must protect all shomrei Torah u’mitzvos — even those not currently in yeshivos. “I turn to you, precious bnei Torah: Don’t fear them, don’t back down. The Torah ha’kedoshah will be victorious!”

Rav Yehuda Cohen said: “The lomdei Torah are the protectors of Am Yisrael. These arrests and persecutions are fueling the hatred against Yidden around the world.”
He added: “Know this — taking bochurim into captivity is what’s delaying the release of the hostages in Gaza.”

The protest comes amid a broader series of demonstrations across Eretz Yisrael as the olam haTorah rises in fierce opposition to the draft decree.