While the IDF is trying to promote the Chashmonaim Brigade as the ultimate solution for integrating bnei yeshivos into the army, voices from within the defense establishment itself are raising doubts about the unit’s ability to absorb mainstream Chareidi recruits, Kikar H’Shabbat reported.
Former senior defence official and financial consultant to the IDF chief of staff, Brig. Gen. (res.) Re’em Aminach, who learned at a Chareidi yeshiva in the past, said on the Black Kippot program that the brigade’s current structure is far from meeting the needs of a typical yeshiva bochur.
“There needs to be truly Chareidi brigades—ones where a Chareidi mother who sends her son can be certain he will return Chareidi exactly as she sent him,” he said.
He clarified that the problem begins at the command level: “The staff in the Chashmonaim Brigade is ‘Chardal’ (an acronym for חרדים לאומיים, referring to the Dati Leumi sector). Some of them may be more learned or makpid than her son—but that’s irrelevant. She wants a Chareidi son, and this staff does not represent the Chareidi value system she wants for him.”
“The current Chashmonaim Brigade is not suitable for the average Chareidi bochur—it’s suitable for those on the margins,” he asserted. “If you were in a dropout yeshiva—it’s fine. But if you came from Ponevezh or Ohr Elchanan? It’s not suitable. The unit simply isn’t designed for that.”
Aminach’s remarks carry particular weight due to his personal background. As someone who studied in a Chareidi yeshiva, he understands the nuances between the Chardal sector and the mainstream Chareidi world—a distinction he argues the military is failing to grasp.
(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
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9 Responses
But why is that a p’tur?
Non-haredi mothers (religious and non-religious) don’t want their sons coming home in a box or with horrible, lifelong injuries, both physical and mental. Should no one defend Israel until such time that going to war will become entirely safe from all physical, mental, and spiritual harm?
One big DUH
We are very sorry th army isn’t perfectly suitable for your needs. My sidewalk isn’t perfectly suitable for my needs. I would like the city to change my red paver sidewalk to pink since I’m more of a pinkish sidewalk person.
“If you were in a dropout yeshiva—it’s fine.” NO; it’s worse – will make him going down even more, choliloh!
There never was and never will be a Chareidi unit in the IDF. All the so called such units are of ex-Chareidi OTD drop outs mixed into a majority of members who agree Daati Leumi.
*a majority of the members of those units are Daati Leumi.
Shlomo2 and supreme Ai,
Your point and analogy given is missing the point here. The more accurate apology would be if you paid someone or someone promised you he would pave your walkway pink and he did it in red then you have a legitimate claim. Same with thechashmonoim brigade dont tout something and present something that isn’t true. That’s called living and being deceptive and just plain wrong to do(if this article is correct and presenting the facts correctly obviously).
*analogy(not apology)
It is one thing to object to potential gilui arayos or non-kosher food or hillul shabbos, but – exposure to other observant Jews? This is an obviously weak position and, no wonder, smart kids are at a risk of abandoning it when they step out of the house.