In an interview with Arutz Sheva, Rabbi David Fendel, the Rosh Yeshivah of the Hesder Yeshiva in Sderot, explained his decision to take part in the Chareidi protest against the arrests of bnei yeshivos in Jerusalem on Thursday afternoon.

“I see it as a great zechus to join the mass tefillah,” Rabbi Fendel said. “Hakadosh Baruch Hu doesn’t reject the tefillah of many.”

Rabbi Fendel slammed “the military-legal system for trying to chase down and arrest yeshivah bochurim without finding a solution, without understanding or working with the public, without seeking the right path within the IDF for those who are not learning, and without developing alternative programs.”

“We know this is an attempt to bring down the right-wing government—an attempt to divide and fracture the religious and faith-based public,” Rabbi Fendel added.

“This is a protest against arrests that serve no purpose other than to help the left win elections and deepen the divisions within our people.”

Rabbi Fendel also warned that if, chalilah, a government were to be formed without Torah representation or without an understanding of the importance of limmud Torah, the next to be targeted would be the Hesder yeshivos.

“It won’t help to remind anyone of the pure korbanos—the many fallen soldiers who came from our own Batei Medrash, including ours,” he emphasized. “They will only seek to harm the rebirth of kedushah, this neis of so many people learning Torah.”

Addressing those in the Religious Zionist community who struggle to see a Rosh Yeshivah of a Hesder yeshiva standing alongside the Chareidi public, Rabbi Fendel reminded them of his deep love and full appreciation for the Hesder yeshivos and their students’ sacrifices in battle.

“One would have to be blind to think I don’t, with all my heart and soul, cherish the unique greatness of this wonderful community. At the same time, we must find a way to respect the Chareidi public—and through that respect, bring them closer. Arrests are not the way. Economic sanctions are not the way. The way is education, building more institutions, and forming a broadly agreed-upon law. Those who try to force this issue will tear the nation in half and cede power to the left.”

“The Religious Zionist community has much to be proud of. We are strong enough to daven together with others and work toward a gradual, shared solution—one that addresses the issue without tearing us apart or delivering us into the hands of those whose true agenda is to thwart any agreement at all.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)