Half a million people closed their gemaras for an entire day to pray on behalf of individuals who, as Binyamin Kreif — himself a jailed draft evader — described, were essentially in “a summer camp.”
"Gedolim" were dragged from all over Israel to daven for draft dodgers who were receiving three full meals a day, permitted visitors throughout the day, and were in no real danger whatsoever.
These same groups loudly proclaim, “We are ready to die rather than enlist,” yet their leaders clearly do not believe this slogan. If they truly thought prison was a form of martyrdom, they would not be fighting so fiercely to prevent their followers from spending even a moment in this comfortable, low‑risk environment.
Kreif spoke with broadcaster Yankele Friedman, who opened the conversation by describing the emotional scenes surrounding Kreif’s release, including a celebratory reception in Modi’in Illit and what he termed a “royal welcome,” complete with a limousine. Friedman said Kreif had been jailed solely because he is a yeshiva student devoted to Torah study, adding that tefillos for his release had come from across the country. “I saw videos today of thousands celebrating together with him. He was welcomed like a king,” Friedman said.
Kreif thanked Friedman for his steady support throughout his imprisonment, calling him a “holy person” whose encouragement helped him endure months behind bars.
During the interview, Kreif described in stark detail the conditions he faced, most notably two months in solitary confinement, in a cell measuring roughly two and a half meters. “I was in solitary for two months—just a cell and a guard watching you all the time,” he said. According to Kreif, security was intentionally stringent, with guards rotating every four hours to prevent any rapport. He said the harsh treatment stemmed from the widely documented escape incident that followed his arrest. “The guards told me, ‘You shamed the IDF,’” Kreif recalled. “I answered them, ‘Fortunate are we.’”
Despite the isolation and physical strain, Kreif said he and other inmates found ways to lift their spirits and even inject humor into daily life. He described harmless antics meant to unsettle guards without being caught, such as ducking into camera-free restrooms and making animal noises. “We turned the place into a summer camp,” he said with a smile. “We’d shout, ‘Zoo—fall in!’ and keep them on edge all night.” Friedman wondered whether such behavior prolonged Kreif’s time in solitary, but Kreif insisted the goal was to retain dignity and feel like “a prince” even in prison.
One of the interview’s most striking moments involved Kreif’s encounter with an atheist inmate who was transferred into his cell just days before his release. Kreif said that over the course of four days, he shared parables and spoke about faith, sparking a profound change. “On the day I was released, he told me, ‘Binyamin, can you leave me your peyos so I can look chareidi too?’” Kreif recounted. Friedman responded that even behind bars, Kreif had merited “bringing a lost brother closer.” Kreif added that many secular inmates expressed deep respect for the chareidi yeshiva students housed alongside them.
As the conversation drew to a close, Kreif addressed yeshiva students anxious about the prospect of arrest. “There’s really nothing to fear about this prison. It truly is a summer camp,” he said confidently. He acknowledged that solitary confinement is difficult, but emphasized that conditions improve significantly once inmates are moved to the regular unit, where the atmosphere is far more social and supportive.
