Rabbi David Stav: 'Charedi draft law is all a bluff'

 

Rabbi David Stav, chairman of the Tzohar Rabbinical Organization and Chief Rabbi of the City of Shoham, sharply criticizes the Israeli government’s proposed legislation on the recruitment of haredi men into the Israel Defense Forces, calling the bill misleading, ineffective, and morally indefensible in the wake of Israel’s ongoing security challenges.

Speaking with Arutz Sheva-Israel National News, Rabbi Stav rejected claims that opposing the government’s proposal amounts to an attempt to topple the coalition. While acknowledging that political stability is a legitimate concern, he argued that the current legislation sacrifices fundamental values while pretending to achieve reform.

“It is a legitimate position to say: I want more haredim to serve, but I prioritize the survival of the government," Rabbi Stav said. “What is not legitimate is to present a bill as historic and transformative when everyone knows it will not draft anyone who does not already intend to enlist."

According to Rabbi Stav, the proposed law falsely promises the enlistment of tens of thousands of haredi men while quietly ensuring that no real change will take place. He accused politicians of privately admitting the bill’s ineffectiveness while publicly promoting it as a breakthrough.

“No one who does not intend to go to the army will go because of this bill," he said. “Everyone knows this."

Beyond political maneuvering, Rabbi Stav framed the issue as a matter of Torah values and social responsibility. He argued that Jewish law and ethics demand shared participation in defending the country, especially at a time when Israel faces prolonged military engagements and deep uncertainty.

“The Torah requires that each one of us serve," he said. “You are not allowed to abandon Torah values for the sake of political convenience."

Rabbi Stav pointed to the heavy burden borne by reservists and their families, many of whom are now serving their sixth or seventh deployment since the outbreak of war. He described the strain on spouses and children, recounting the moment his own daughter-in-law learned her husband would miss Passover due to reserve duty.

“When you see families collapsing under this weight, you cannot stand aside," he said. “You cannot ignore reality."

He also criticized religious leaders for failing to offer even symbolic support for military service among haredim. Rabbi Stav said that if senior rabbis were to publicly state that those not studying Torah full-time should enlist, the conversation would look very different. Instead, he claimed, some leaders continue to use harsh rhetoric against the army, portraying it as a force that threatens religious identity.

“In closed rooms they say openly: nobody is going to enlist," he said. “They describe the army as an attempt to secularize or ‘convert’ us. There is no good faith here."

Rabbi Stav further argued that the bill manipulates statistics by counting as “haredi recruits" individuals who attended haredi schools years earlier but have long since left religious frameworks. “If someone truly wanted to draft haredim," he asked, “why would they count boys who left that world at age 13 or 14?"

Addressing claims that change must come through dialogue rather than legislation, Rabbi Stav said such conversations have been ongoing for decades with little result. In practice, he argued, the state has incentivized non-service through financial support, tax exemptions, and benefits for yeshiva students, while offering few consequences for refusal to enlist.

“The only place we see real change is where there is fear of sanctions," he said, noting that a significant number of haredi recruits come from immigrant families, particularly from North America, who are uncomfortable violating the law or being labeled as offenders.

While Rabbi Stav acknowledged that small shifts are occurring on the margins, he emphasized that these changes are happening despite rabbinic leadership, not because of it. “The positions against service are hardening," he warned. “That is what we are seeing. This is not only a political issue. It is a test of responsibility, solidarity, and truth."

Asked whether he felt disappointed by the lack of change following the October 7th massacre, Rabbi Stav drew a distinction between disappointment and frustration.

“I did not expect something different, so I am not disappointed," he said. “But I am deeply frustrated. How can people who speak in the language of Torah and solidarity watch thousands of families suffer and remain silent?"