About 10 talmidim of Israeli Chabad yeshivos who returned on Friday afternoon from their year of study in Crown Heights as part of the “kevutza” program were arrested by the Military Police immediately after landing at Ben Gurion Airport on a flight from New York.

Every year, talmidim of Chabad yeshivos spend a year studying in the “kevutza” program—a stay at the Tomchei Temimim yeshiva at the Chabad World Headquarters, 770 Eastern Parkway, in accordance with a decades-old mesorah.

Attorney Menachem Stauber and activist Reb Shimon Shisha, operating on behalf of the Magen U’Moshia center headed by Yisrael Porush, are assisting in the legal proceedings with the IDF authorities on behalf of seven of the detained talmidim.

Three of them have already been released after questioning, two have been placed under arrest, and discussions are still ongoing with the IDF regarding the remaining two.

Chareidim10 reported that the arrests at the airport were carried out by soldiers. They allowed the parents to hug their sons—whom they had not seen in over a year—before explaining the process that awaited them.

This marks the third wave of arrests, following the detention last Thursday of a Chabad talmid who had returned from the kevutza program of 5785 (2024–2025) and the arrest of another talmid two days earlier.

In addition, a Chabad avreich was arrested today at a recruitment office.

Dozens more Chabad talmidim are expected to return to Israel in the coming week and could face arrest following the cancellation of the special arrangement that had existed for years between Chabad and the IDF.

The unique arrangement—which was canceled due to Supreme Court intervention—allowed Chabad talmidim in Israel to travel to Crown Heights without being considered “deserters,” in recognition of the “kevutza” year as an inseparable part of their limmud Torah.

However, over the past year, following the annulment of the Draft Law and the sanctions imposed on bnei yeshivos, parts of Chabad’s special framework were also canceled. As a result, many talmidim are now finding themselves in legal limbo upon returning to Israel.

Parents and Chabad askanim are currently trying to determine how to ensure the continuation of the long-standing “kevutza” tradition in Crown Heights without exposing the students to sanctions.

Earlier today, the Rabbanim of the Beis Din Rabbani Chabad, the highest Rabbinical body of the Chassidus, published a letter calling on the Chabad community to participate in the mass Chareidi rally tomorrow in Jerusalem.

“We hereby issue a call of chizzuk to join the tefillah regarding the attempt to change the long-standing arrangement in Eretz Hakodesh, whereby while the bnei yeshivos and avreichim are engaged in Torah, their military service is postponed, out of recognition of the power of limmud Torah to protect Am Yisrael in general and the soldiers of Israel in particular,” the letter states.

“Behold, the words of the Rebbe are well known many times over, that the bnei yeshivos join the battle through their limmud Torah, together with the soldiers in the army who defend with their bodies, to the point of mesirus nefesh for Am Yisrael in Eretz Yisrael.”

“It should be noted that the option to serve in the army in the Chabad community is after marriage and after a period of limmud in yeshiva and kollel, and even then within frameworks suitable for a Chassidish Jew and Yirei Shamayim, and all this without detracting from the general and central role that the Rebbe assigned to every Chassid, to engage in the dissemination of Judaism and its teachings.

“We want to be mechazeik the yeshiva students who stand at the forefront of the spiritual battle of limmud Torah, both revealed and Chassidish teachings, with diligence and perseverance, not to be swayed by the difficulties and trials to harm your role. It is clear that you must avoid joining programs that harm your role in the present or future to be oisek b’Torah.

“Additionally, this coming Thursday, the 8th of MarCheshvan, tens of thousands of Acheinu Bnei Yisrael will gather for a tefillah rally on the matter in Jerusalem, the holy city, and we hereby call on our fellow community members to participate in the rally.”

“Those who are unable to participate in person in the gathering should increase in Torah, tefillah, and tzedaka during the gathering of tens of thousands of our brothers, Acheinu Bnei Yisrael. The participation of the students of the yeshivos ketanos and gedolos will be in accordance with and according to the decision of the administration of each yeshiva.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)