Amit Segal on the Interview With the Editor of the Hebrew Yated

 

What if the editor of a major American newspaper announced that the US military is basically irrelevant? That a dozen elderly scholars with enough Bible study under their belts could defeat China, Russia, and Iran combined? That fighter jets don’t fly because of engineering or pilots, but because God is pleased with how much Scripture is being learned in Dallas? If that sounds insane, welcome to an average Tuesday in Israeli politics. Because this is almost exactly what Yisrael Friedman, editor of Yated Ne’eman, one of the country’s leading ultra-Orthodox newspapers, told

@AkivaWeisz

in a jaw-dropping interview. Let’s start with the basics: why don’t Haredim serve in the IDF? Friedman’s answer isn’t subtle, to say the least. “Those who save the state are those who learn Torah, so someone who harms Torah learners harms state security,” he says. “Mathematically, what is incorrect about that? We are preserving the Jewish people, and in this matter of preserving the Jewish people there is no equality of burden — only we contribute.” Read that again. Only they contribute. So fighting in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran doesn’t count? “That’s not preserving the Jewish people; that’s preserving the Israeli people,” he says. Great, so Friedman thinks the IDF is pointless? Not quite. “If the yeshivas don’t study, the tanks won’t start. The planes won’t take off.” Ok, so perhaps, you’re hoping, deep down, he respects Israel’s astonishing military and intelligence capabilities. Nope. “The army has never won because of the number of soldiers,” Friedman told Weisz. “At West Point they study wars from around the whole world, but not Israel’s wars — you know why? Because the rules of war don’t apply here. There is no logic here.” But what about the fact that the IDF is missing 10,000-12,000 soldiers? Friedman isn’t rattled in the slightest. His solution for the army? “It lacks learners!” And then, citing a story of a famous rabbi from 19th century Europe, he asserts that “we need to increase study in the yeshivas even more, and then 15 elderly soldiers will win all these wars, and I believe this with complete faith.” Weisz, however, had a trick question up his sleeve — or so he thought. Israel, after all, is full of religious Zionists, Jews who are Orthodox (and often spend years learning Torah and other religious texts), yet are fully integrated into Israeli society and serve in the military just like everyone else. Indeed, according to some surveys, the number of religious Zionists in reserve IDF duty since October 7 make up almost twice their share of the population. Friedman’s response? He dismisses them as “people whose kippah on their head is merely a social identity badge, barely connected to any religious reality.” If you’ve read this far, you’ve probably gathered that Friedman isn’t exactly worried about offending others. There is one group, however, that he says the ultra-Orthodox have sworn to never offend. “We don’t go against the United States,” he told Weisz. Why? Because “we [Israel] are an American protectorate.” Still haven’t given up? Great, because I now want to address the question I’ve been asking in this newsletter: what is the Haredi business model? Right-wing Israelis have a vision for the country. So does the left. But what does the ultra-Orthodox public want? For that too, Friedman has an answer: “Yated Ne’eman, like the entire Haredi public, has always carried two passports in its suit pocket: a Jewish passport and an Israeli passport. The Jewish passport is 3,300 years old, since we stood at the foot of Mount Sinai. The Israeli passport is 80 years old.” “As long as we weren’t asked to choose, we had two passports… But the State of Israel forced us to choose: either-or. It does not allow us today, under the current circumstances, to have both. 3,300 years ago, we chose the Jewish passport, and let there be no mistake: this is what we are fighting for.”

Well, that was a lot to take in. There is, however, a question that Friedman didn’t answer: do the Haredim reallybelieve this story that he just sold us? Some certainly do, and some most likely don’t. And while the different sects within the Haredi world will all offer varying takes on what you’ve just read, perhaps now you have a greater understanding of the anger (to put it mildly) that other Israelis feel towards the ultra-Orthodox. After all, this isn’t the musings of a fringe crank. Friedman’s worldview dominates Israel’s Haredi political parties, which control the coalition’s survival and shape draft policy, welfare budgets, and so much more. These ideas aren’t whispered in private — they are mainstream inside a community that may well be 1/3 of the country in the near future, leaving many in the Jewish state increasingly worried that they’re running out of time to stop the ship from sinking. But for those Israelis who would dare interfere with the ultra-Orthodox lifestyle, Friedman has a warning: “This way of life cannot be stopped, because the day it stops, neither we nor they will remain. There will be no state here, no people here, and the Land of Israel will lie desolate.” Truth be told, Friedman may well be right. But not for the reason he thinks.

Senior Shas rabbi appears to backtrack, says Charedim who don’t study full-time can serve in the IDF

In what appears to be a dramatic reversal of his position, one of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party’s senior spiritual leaders states that Haredim who are not enrolled full-time in yeshiva can serve in the IDF on condition that the military obligates itself to allow them to observe their way of life.

Speaking with Radio Kol Hai, Rabbi Moshe Maya, a member of Shas’ ruling Council of Torah Sages, states that “if there is an arrangement whereby someone who enlists would not come to desecrate the Sabbath and would preserve his holiness and purity — why shouldn’t he enlist? But there is one condition: that it be an official IDF General Staff order. As long as it’s just declarations, it’s worthless.”

Last summer, following the High Court of Justice’s ruling ending service exemptions for yeshiva students, Maya took a very different tone, telling Kol Barama Radio that it was “forbidden for those who don’t study to go to the army,” arguing that “those who do will end up violating the Shabbat.”

This June, the rabbi was one of several senior Shas rabbis who signed an open letter expressing opposition to any enlistment compromise that would lead to the conscription of yeshiva students. In the letter, the rabbis declared that it was forbidden for those not in yeshiva to enlist, even into “the so-called ‘ultra-Orthodox’ tracks.”

However, he started softening his position not long after, stating several weeks later that while at the moment no Haredim at all may enlist, “if military frameworks are established with the approval of the rabbis, which will certainly safeguard every Haredi—and we know that this will have legal validity—then only those who do not study at all should be drafted.”

The IDF currently maintains several service tracks for ultra-Orthodox soldiers, including the Netzach Yehuda battalion (also known as Nahal Haredi) and the recently-established Hasmonean Brigade.

The post Senior Shas rabbi appears to backtrack, says Haredim who don’t study full-time can serve in the IDF appeared first on The Times of Israel.

 

Chareidim are firing blanks in their war on the draft

by Dr. Shuki Friedman

 In the absence of a law exempting the ultra-Orthodox (Haredim) from military service, tens of thousands have received draft orders. A few evaders caught by police have been arrested. This has led to a “declaration of war” by the Haredi community. 

Haredi politicians have competed with each other in issuing threats about the bitter fate that would befall Israeli society if the “war on the Torah world continues.” But they soon discovered that they were scaring no one. 

Simply put, the Haredi contribution to the State of Israel – its economy and core institutions – is so meager that even if they went on strike tomorrow morning, it wouldn’t significantly disrupt life in Israel. Hopefully, the image reflected back at them from this mirror will inspire some moral self-examination.

Son of Rabbi Who is an IDF Opponent Is Helping Chareidim to Enlist

 Rabbi Hanoch Kaufman — son of Rabbi Chaim Aharon Kaufman, a senior member of the influential Yeshiva Committee — is reportedly collaborating with the Israeli army to create a special service track for his yeshiva students, according to Channel 13.

While his father has been a staunch opponent of Haredim serving in the IDF, the younger Kaufman is pursuing a program that would give some of his students a defined path into military service.

The Yeshiva Committee, once the main channel for coordinating legal service deferments between ultra-Orthodox institutions and the Defense Ministry, has in recent years shifted focus. A Times of Israel investigation earlier this year found it now uses a hotline to advise students on avoiding enlistment altogether.

Rabbi Hanoch Kaufman heads Bakshu Yeshiva, an institution known for integrating Haredi youth who left other religious schools.

Military service exemptions for Haredi men have been under intense scrutiny. Roughly 80,000 ultra-Orthodox men aged 18–24 are believed to be eligible for enlistment but have not joined the IDF — despite a High Court ruling last year that ended the decades-long blanket exemptions.

So far, Haredi political and rabbinic leaders have resisted all proposals to draft even a portion of their young men, including those who are not in full-time Torah study.

זה מידע שאסור לכם לפספס: בזמן שאביו, יו"ר ועד הישיבות הרב חיים קאופמן, קבע נחרצות שגם צעירים חרדים בטלנים אסור להם להתגייס לצה"ל - הבן שלו, הרב חנוך קאופמן, כראש ישיבת "בקשו" לצעירים חרדים נושרים, נמצא בימים אלו במשא ומתן מתקדם עם משרד הביטחון על הסדרת מסלול צבאי לתלמידיו https://t.co/KarsEGQbzn pic.twitter.com/1JR4vyJqtR

— יואלי ברים yoeli brim (@yoeli_brim) August 7, 2025

Roshei Yeshiva Panic as 120 Bochurim From Top Charedi Yeshivos Have Recently Enlisted In IDF

 

Thank you Hashem for showing Your children open miracles! First You showed us a double military miracle by defeating Hezbollah and Iran. Now You show us a double Chareidi miracle, by having them rejoin Klal Yisroel and contribute towards its security and by no longer allowing Chareidi government handouts that allowed them to be oiver the issur of turning yourself into a charity case. Boruch Hatov V’Hameitiv!

A significant development is underway in the Israeli charedi community. Despite the heated battle in the Knesset over the draft exemption law and the charedi parties intrasigent stance on the issue, dozens of charedi yeshiva students have recently joined or are in the process of enlisting in the IDF.

The pro-draft newspaper Lechatchila published a report on the matter on Tuesday, stating that “Dozens of students from mainstream yeshivot are enlisting in the IDF.”

According to the article, six students from Wolfson Yeshiva, considered one of the most prestigious institutions in the charedi world, announced their decision to enlist. This triggered an emergency assembly led by the Rosh Yeshiva. Reportedly, three of the students plan to join “Kodkod”, a prestigious IDF tech unit, two will serve in combat roles, and one will transition to a Haredi Hesder Yeshiva (which combines Torah study with military service) before enlisting in a combat unit.

The news shocked many in the yeshiva and has caused a stir throughout the charedi world, especially because two of the enlisting students are alumni of Kol Torah, one of the most well-respected and long-standing yeshivot.

During the emergency meeting at Wolfson Yeshiva, Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Daniel Wolfson addressed the students and expressed deep concern about the move. He argued that no military program can truly preserve a charedi lifestyle and shared his sorrow over the students’ decision to leave.

Lechatchila, despite supporting Haredi enlistment, quoted Rabbi Wolfson:

“The army doesn’t want you and isn’t waiting for you with open arms.”

He also claimed that religious soldiers are disproportionately sent to the front lines and therefore suffer higher casualty rates. As evidence, he pointed to the recent deaths of four soldiers in Netzah Yehuda Battalion—a predominantly charedi combat unit. According to him, such incidents demonstrate that the army poses a greater risk to religious soldiers.

Lechatchila’s investigation reveals that the Wolfson case is part of a wider trend. Students from top-tier charedi yeshivot—such as Wolfson, Torah B’Tifarta, Hevron, Kamenitz, and even Ponevezh and Tifrach—have recently begun enlistment procedures, joining either elite tech programs like Kodkod or Yoav, or entering combat and intelligence units designed for Haredi soldiers.

In at least two known cases, yeshiva staff were aware of the students’ intentions to enlist but allowed them to remain until the end of the semester, under the condition they not speak about it with other students.

In another case, a student already serving in the Hashmonaim Brigade convinced two of his friends to follow him—one of whom is scheduled to enlist in the next draft cycle, and the other has registered for the Kedkod program.

According to Lechatchila’s full data analysis, since May, approximately 120 single charedi men, enrolled in elite yeshivot, have begun enlistment procedures. Over 70 registered for the Kodkod program, and over 40 joined other tracks.

These younger recruits join the ranks of married charedi men (avreichim) who have recently started similar enlistment processes. As revealed in Lechatchila, two avreichim from the Haredi community in Tiberias, studying at a local kollel, approached Rabbi Moshe Hillel Hirsch, head of the Slabodka Yeshiva, sharing that they felt spiritually unfulfilled and were under severe financial stress due to recent sanctions on yeshiva students.

Rabbi Hirsch reportedly listened and ruled that in their situation it was permissible to enlist.

Upon returning to their kollel and announcing their intent to enlist after the summer session, the shocked head of the kollel consulted with Rabbi Shraga Steinman, asking if he should expel the men. Steinman allegedly replied,

“You shall do according to what your rabbi instructs you—why kick them out?”

The response calmed the kollel head, though the news caused surprise. Days later, the kollel held a farewell party for the two under the headline: “You shall do as instructed.”

According to Lechatchila, the enlisting yeshiva students are raising the bar in units like the Hashmonaim Brigade. A senior figure involved in recruiting Haredim said:

“These new recruits are the best of the best from top yeshivot. To join Hashmonaim, it’s not enough to be charedi—you need to meet very high personal and spiritual standards. Just like Hevron Yeshiva only accepts top-tier students, so does Hashmonaim.”

Those not accepted into Hashmonaim are being directed to other Haredi-friendly units, such as Netzah Yehuda or Pluga Chetz. “There’s no shortage of options,” said the source.

Despite the influx of interest, with hundreds of applicants, the unit remains selective:

“I’d rather take 80 high-quality soldiers than 300 who aren’t,” said the source.
“Until now, we had to limit draft cycles to maintain quality. Today, we can expand while keeping the same standard. After all, being the ‘Sayeret’ (elite unit) of the Torah world in the IDF is a big responsibility.”

Bereaved Beit Shemesh mother: Moishy's legacy is - don't give up, look at what unites us

Miriam Noll's son, Staff Sergeant Moshe Shmuel Noll, a soldier in the haredi Netzah Yehuda Battalion, fell in battle last week when an explosive device detonated in the Beit Hanoun area in northern Gaza. In a conversation with Arutz Sheva-Israel National News, Miriam spoke about her son and his incredible energy and character.

"Moishy went straight from crawling to running. He never sat still. I guess he had a lot to pack into his very short life. He was constantly on the move," the mother reflects.

With this energy, though, Moshe was afflicted by severe learning disabilities. Despite these disabilities, which included dyslexia, he battled to succeed: "He made it his business to learn how to read, and he took full advantage of the help he was given. He started with children's comic books, and he worked his way until he could read a full children's book. At prayers, he only knew what he would memorize. For his bar mitzvah, it took six months for him to memorize his Maftir (Torah reading). He worked with a teacher to learn week by week, a little bit more, and a little bit more, so by the time he graduated high school, he knew the entire morning prayer by heart."

As opposed to many in the haredi community, Moshe enlisted in the IDF; Miriam explains the process and decision: "The special yeshiva where Moshe studied is for boys who can't sit and learn, it's called Kfar Zeitim, and the program there is that the boys who graduate go straight to Netzah Yehuda. So he went with five of his friends to the army."

She noted that while she tried to convince him to enlist in a non-combat unit, he always responded: "I might not be good at reading or writing, but this I can do. Somebody needs to defend our country, and I am proud to do it. I am not a quitter, and I'm going to serve my country, the full term. I'm happy to be doing it." She shares that they saw this as a great "kiddush Hashem" - a sanctification of G-d's name, since "he used the skills he was given to serve his people and to serve Hashem in the way he was gifted to."

Miriam added that, as sad as they are about his loss, they celebrate his life and his dedication. "If this is the number of years that G-d has allotted to him, we are very proud that he went out fighting for his people."

She reminisced that while he may not have been booksmart, Moshe knew how to connect with everyone. "He looked for things that connected him to everyone around him, not what separated him. If you ask every one of my children, he was their best friend. He knew how to meld with anyone he was with. We're going to miss that warm, welcoming, listening ear, he gave the best bear hugs in the world, and it's going to be very hard for our family to continue without him."

Moshe's mother shares two lessons that she thinks everyone should learn from him, the first: "Don't let difficulties define you. With Hashem, you'll be able to overcome. Once his teacher asked him: 'I'm shocked at how difficult it is for you to read, why aren't you unhappy, why aren't you depressed?' He replied: 'It's enough of a challenge for me to tackle the reading, do I need to add depression on top of it?' He was happy, despite the difficulties. As long as he was making progress and working on getting better, he was happy; he knew he was doing what he could and fulfilling his role."

The second message that Miriam wants everyone to learn from Moshe is one of unity: "Let's look at what unites us, not what divides us. He saw everyone as one big family, and I think it's very important for everyone to have that unity in order to defeat that enemy."

Too funny to be true but it is! ...Satmar "Shvantz" Tried Bribing Gerrer Rebbe to join the Irrelvant SHIT'eh

DIN: Someone, please pinch me and tell me that this is all a dream! A Satmar shvantz with money came up with a scheme to bribe the Gerrer Rebbe to abandon government funds and to rely on schnoorerei! 

This Yoeli character even goes into an entire polemic about the Meraglim and saying that all "Yeshiva Boys really want to be like the Meraglim"! He says quoting the Chidushei Harim, the first Gerer Rebbe, that the Meraglim really wanted to remain in Yeshiva learning because they knew that if they would go up to Israel, they would have to work" 

Now this is not the place to discuss this, but what is relevant is that a Satmar Shnook with money thinks he can convince a rebbe of an entire different sect that have an entirely different mentality to his crazed position!

Who can forget when just a couple of years ago one of the feuding Satmar Brothers schnnored from his poor naive shmendriks $5 million to bring to those Yeshivos in Israel that refuse to take money from the medina! 

That $5 million didn't last a month! The Israeli Government funds Yeshivas to the tune of 850 million shekel a year! 

Yoeli Landau, the affluent and influential Satmar businessman named after the legendary Satmar Rebbe, Rabbi Joel Teitelbaum, recently delivered a private letter to the Ger Rebbe, Rabbi Yaakov Aryeh Alter, during the latter’s fundraising visit to the United States. The letter, which has now become public, has sparked significant discussion and controversy within Haredi circles.

Landau, whose fortune—largely built through senior living enterprises in New York—is estimated at nearly half a billion dollars, personally met with the Ger Rebbe at his home in Israel prior to the Rebbe’s trip to the U.S. Upon returning to Israel, the Ger Rebbe flew Landau’s private jet, arranged because the Rebbe’s own plane was unavailable due to insurance restrictions related to the ongoing conflict.

Just before takeoff on the return flight, Landau presented the Rebbe with the letter, which thanks him for the opportunity to support the community’s fundraising efforts and delivers a pointed message urging a shift in communal financial strategy.

In his letter, Landau advocates for the Ger Rebbe and the broader Haredi leadership to adopt the “Satmar method”—a call to cease reliance on Israeli government funding and instead rely on wealthy patrons (“gabbayim”) within the community. He praises the Ger Rebbe for his steadfast refusal to compromise on army conscription of yeshiva students, positioning him as a rare leader willing to resist government pressure.

Landau warns that dependence on state funds undermines the community’s economic and spiritual health. He argues this dependence weakens incentives for rabbis and institutions to cultivate financial independence, creating a cycle of reliance that leads to compromising deeply held values, including on the sensitive issue of army recruitment.

The letter draws a sharp contrast between the Ger Rebbe’s firm stance and other Haredi leaders who, according to Landau, make “compromises with the impure” by acquiescing to conscription laws in exchange for funding. He frames the Satmar approach as a model of self-reliance and communal responsibility, emphasizing hard work and fundraising efforts spearheaded by influential community members rather than government grants.

The delivery of this letter aboard Landau’s private jet—an event accompanied by a special “L’chaim” toast—symbolizes the merging of his roles as a bold businessman and committed communal activist. It also highlights the growing unease within parts of the Haredi community over the increasing involvement and influence of state mechanisms in religious education and lifestyle.

Since the letter became public, it has fueled a vigorous debate. Supporters view Landau’s message as a critical wake-up call, urging the community to reclaim autonomy and preserve its values. Critics, however, perceive it as a disrespectful critique that challenges established leadership and traditions.

Community insiders note that longstanding tensions between the Satmar and Ger factions regarding state funding and political strategy have been brought into sharper focus by this episode. The letter offers a rare glimpse into internal struggles about how the Haredi world should navigate its relationship with the modern state and manage its future sustainability.

As discussions unfold across social media platforms and community forums, Landau’s letter stands as a provocative call to action—one that challenges Haredim to rethink economic independence, spiritual integrity, and political engagement in the face of evolving realities.

below the letter Landau gave to the rebbe.

Study finds growing numbers leaving Charedi community

 When Yehuda Moses was 25, his worldview began to shift.

A member of the Belz Hasidic community, Moses found himself placed under excommunication by the group’s grand rabbi after he criticized a decision to use money raised for the poor to fund the construction of a new synagogue.

“I began to wonder how people considered righteous could do such harmful things,” Moses, now 52, told The Times of Israel in a phone interview.

That moment marked the start of Moses’s departure from the Haredi world, a life-altering choice being made by a growing number of ultra-Orthodox Israelis, according to a comprehensive study published earlier this year by Out for Change, which provides help to those leaving the ultra-Orthodox community.

The study found that rather than marking a complete break, a stereotype enforced by pop culture portrayals, leaving the ultra-Orthodox world is a complicated process that can preserve some aspects of the former lives of ex-Haredim, from faith to their relationships with their parents.

At the time of his shunning, Moses was already married with five children, all of whom left the ultra-Orthodox world with him. Yet while he now describes himself as completely secular, getting there took over two decades, while his wife and three daughters still maintain some level of religiosity.

“Only recently I started to travel on Shabbat,” he said.

Based on publicly available Central Bureau of Statistics data, Out for Change found that many former members of the Haredi community maintain some level of religious observance, albeit a less stringent one.

Fewer than one in five former Haredim describe themselves as completely secular, according to the study, which was published in February.

“Past qualitative research on the topic has shown that the choice to leave Haredi society behind often is not an issue of faith, but rather of seeking a different lifestyle or quality of life,” said Adar Anisman, head of research at Out for Change and one of the authors of the report.

Still, even the first step out of the cloistered ultra-Orthodox community can be a shock. For Moses, whose father Menachem Eliezer Moses served as an MK for United Torah Judaism from 2009 until 2019, leaving the confines of Haredi life was like stepping into an entirely new world.

“I didn’t even know how the human body functions — I believed that prayer alone was enough to recover from illness,” he recalled.

Lacking Charedi manpower, IDF turns to womanpower: 1 in 5 fighters are now female

 

Female combatants of the Paratroops mobility unit in the Gaza Strip during the October 7 war with a stray dog

One in five Israeli combat soldiers is female, a senior officer said in a recent Knesset hearing, underlining a major uptick in women serving in fighting roles.

“Today, women make up 20.9% of the IDF’s combat force – this is an unprecedented figure. We’re also seeing an increase in the technological units, but the main surge is in women serving as combat soldiers,” Brig. Gen. Shay Tayeb, head of the Personnel Directorate’s Planning and Personnel Management Division, said on May 7 while presenting official data to Knesset members in a discussion focused on female combat soldiers in the context of the need for an equitable conscription law for ultra-Orthodox men.

However, as women increasingly enlist in light infantry battalions, elite combat units, and other units that may put them on the frontlines, the army may struggle to address the dual challenge of integrating them alongside a hoped-for influx of ultra-Orthodox soldiers, policy planners warned.

Out of 18,915 Haredim who received initial draft orders since July 2024, around 319 have enlisted; 2,521 who ignored multiple draft orders were sent immediate call-up orders requiring them to show up at an induction center within 48 hours or be declared a draft evader.

In direct opposition to Haredi men evading the draft, Maj. Sapir Barabi, head of the Sources Department at the IDF Personnel Directorate, noted that between 2012 and 2024 – based on recruitment yearbook data – the number of female combat soldiers rose tenfold.

Renegade Shas rabbi to establish new party that supports Charedi conscription

 

A prominent Sephardic rabbi from the southern city of Netivot is planning on establishing a new ultra-Orthodox party to compete with Shas on a national level, after successfully challenging its dominance locally, Israeli television reported Sunday.

According to Channel 13 news, Rabbi Haim Yosef Abergel’s new party will be named “Mayim Chaim” (Living Waters), and will support the introduction of secular studies into the ultra-Orthodox school curriculum as well as military service for Haredim.

Abergel is the son of the late Rabbi Yoram Abergel, a popular rabbi who himself split with Shas in 2015. In 2013, the senior Abergel was arrested on suspicion of extortion in connection with threats against a mayoral candidate in Netivot, but the charges were dropped for lack of evidence.

The younger Abergel’s public split from Shas began last year when he removed his Bnei Yosef school network from Shas’s Maayan HaChinuch HaTorani school network, transferring it to the state-Haredi education track, and beginning the process of introducing the state-mandated core curriculum.

" The masses (the Pusheter Yid) may have greater access to divine revelation than Talmudic scholars. "

by Scott Kahn from Orthodox Conundrum Commentary 

Sometimes, too much scholarship can be a detriment to determining the right thing to do.

The concept of natural morality - that is, that people intuitively know certain basic moral concepts - is debated by Jewish and non-Jewish philosophers alike. 

One of the most famous examples of a Jewish scholar championing natural morality is the Ramban in his commentary to Vayikra 19:2, which we will read this coming Shabbat. He explains that the biblical directive to “be holy” prohibits actions which are not otherwise proscribed by the Torah, but which would allow someone to act in a despicable manner without technically violating any written prohibition. Many assume that we know which prohibitions are included in this mitzvah through natural morality.¹ 

This is in line with the Ramban’s explanation of why the people of Noah’s generation were punished for hamas, meaning stealing and exploitation: “Because this is a logical mitzvah, without need for a prophetic warning.”²

‘Shtisel’ star Sasson Gabay is happy to be back playing a complex Charedi Jew in ‘Kugel’

 “I’m preparing a tea so we can talk with leisure,” Sasson Gabay says over the phone from Israel.

The Israeli film and TV star, now 77, wants to get comfortable so he can talk about one of his favorite characters from his 50-year career: Nuhem Shtisel.

If that surname sounds familiar, yes — it’s a character from the popular and internationally acclaimed series “Shtisel,” about an Israeli Haredi Orthodox family. Now, Gabay has reprised Nuhem for a prequel series titled “Kugel,” streaming in the United States exclusively on the platform Izzy.

And if kugel sounds familiar, yes — it’s referring to the Ashkenazi version of a casserole, not another surname. The new series follows Nuhem, who frequents a kugel shop in his native Antwerp years before the plot of “Shtisel,” as he and his daughter Libbi (Hadas Yaron) navigate familial and romantic struggles. Nuhem’s heart is in the right place, but the diamond dealer often finds himself at the center of financial shenanigans that threaten his place in his family and his community.

As complex as that character sounds, it didn’t take much convincing to get Gabay — who is also well known for starring in both the Israeli film “The Band’s Visit” and the Tony-winning Broadway musical based on it — on board for the poignant and wryly humorous series that, like “Shtisel,” was created by Yehonatan Indursky.

“I loved [Indursky’s] writing. I loved his plot. I loved this poetic element in all his writing — wise, human and brilliant in my opinion,” Gabay said on a recent WhatsApp call.

On April 28, Gabay will join “Shtisel” star Michael Aloni and “Kugel” producer Dikla Barkai for an exclusive New York Jewish Week conversation about the new show at Congregation Rodeph Sholom on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. For those who can make it in person, attendees will also be able to sample (what else?) some of the city’s best kugel, and even meet the stars at a VIP reception. For those who can’t make it, a livestream is available, and it will be recorded.

As a preview — a taste of the “burnt end” of the kugel, Nuhem might say — Gabay spoke with the New York Jewish Week about filming in Antwerp, playing a deeply religious Jew while living a secular life, and the state of the Israel film and TV industry since October 7, 2023.

Frum Zionist Israelis growing increasingly critical of Charedim

 Religious Zionist Israelis are becoming increasingly critical of ultra-Orthodox communities and their disconnect from the rest of the nation, according to a survey released Tuesday by the Truman Institute at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Just over 900 people, marking a representative sample of Israel’s Jewish population, were polled in the survey, which follows a similar study conducted in July 2024. The findings show that an increasing number of religious Jews believe it is important that the Haredim share the burden of military service with the rest of the nation. At the same time, fewer of them believe that the Gaza war has highlighted contributions that the ultra-Orthodox make to the general society.

“Investigating these trends is important because the ultra-Orthodox society is becoming increasingly crucial in Israel, in policy decisions, political decisions, and internal processes regarding the war and the conflict,” Truman Institute head Prof. Ifat Maoz told The Times of Israel over the phone. “For this reason, we need to understand what their attitudes are regarding their participation in Israeli society and the war.”

The survey is part of a larger endeavor by the Truman Center to conduct more research on Haredi society.

Religious Zionist Israelis largely enlist in the army, and tend to be over-represented in combat units.

Young Haredi men registered in ultra-Orthodox yeshivas, meanwhile, have received blanket exemptions from mandatory military service for decades, a practice that the High Court of Justice outlawed in June. Since then, Israel has been grappling with a profound social and political crisis, as ultra-Orthodox political parties have been steadfast in refusing any compromise to start drafting at least some Haredi youth. The rest of the country is increasingly frustrated by their unwillingness to share the burden of service, even as the nation fights the longest war in its history.

Asked whether they agreed with the statement, “Against the backdrop of the war, the importance of equal burden-bearing and the recruitment of Haredim into the army is increasing,” 77.7 percent of religious respondents said they did, up from 68.6% in July.

At the same time, religious respondents were less likely to express appreciation for Haredim’s contribution to the country. Only 52.9% agreed with the statement, “The war emphasized the partnership and contribution of Haredi society to Israeli society,” down from 65.1% in July, while the percentage of those who disagreed rose from 35% to 47.2%.

In both cases, the most recent results narrowed the gap between religious respondents and the general Jewish public, 81.5% of whom agreed with the first statement and 43.1% with the second.

“The religious community used to generally view the ultra-Orthodox as allies, so it is interesting to notice the trend,” Maoz said.

The researcher also said it was important to note how ultra-Orthodox respondents reacted to the questions.

Some 86% agreed with the statement praising Haredi contribution to society.

“There is a large gap between how the ultra-Orthodox see themselves and how the rest of society sees them, but I believe that this data still shows that they do want to contribute and value being part of the nation,” Maoz noted.

In addition, the percentage of Haredim who support ultra-Orthodox conscription to the army rose from 19% in July to 24%.

“We are doing further analysis to understand better how significant this increase is, but in my view, it does show that something is happening within the community,” Maoz noted.

The post Religious Zionist Israelis growing increasingly critical of Haredim, new survey shows appeared first on The Times of Israel.

Netanyahu 100% right about Israel’s ‘deep state’

 

 For liberal leftist critics of Israel’s government, it was just the latest example of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s effort to follow the same playbook as President Donald Trump. 

When the former spoke recently of the efforts on the part of Israel’s “deep state” to derail his government, both Israelis who voted for Netanyahu’s political opponents in the last election and Democrats who backed former Vice President Kamala Harris tuned out everything that followed. As far as they are concerned, talk of a “deep state” in either country is just a right-wing conspiracy theory that is part of an attempt by both leaders to overturn or seriously undermine democracy.

That’s also the line that most pundits are spreading about the prime minister’s move to fire the head of the Shin Bet (Internal Security Agency) and the attorney general, as he seeks to carry on the war on Hamas without being held back by opponents inside the governing apparatus. Such analysts claim that Netanyahu’s assertions about an army of bureaucrats—aided by elites who run the business, legal, media, academic and cultural establishments—is seeking to sabotage his government, is a figment of his imagination.

If only that were true

Smotrich Responds to Ex-Con Deri's threat to topple government over Haredi draft

 

Responding to the ultra-Orthodox Shas party’s threat to vote against the state budget and topple the government unless it passes a bill exempting yeshiva students from military service, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich insists that he is “not willing to make concessions” on the issue.

“I really hope that we will succeed in bringing a good conscription law that will completely change the situation and that will conscript the Haredim into the army because they are needed. It is simply an existential national security necessity,” Smotrich declares from the Knesset rostrum.

Israel needs a “large, smart, aggressive [and] deadly army” and “we are not willing to make concessions here… We are presenting our Haredi partners and brothers with a real demand to change” and “take part in the great mitzvah and national, Zionist, Jewish, moral, and ethical duty” of military service, he says.

“I hope that we will find the balance and there will be a law and there will be a budget,” Smotrich continues, calling on the Haredim to at least pass the budget before dissolving the Knesset if an agreement cannot be reached.

“You cannot leave a country at war without a budget,” he says.

Speaking with ultra-Orthodox radio station Kol Baramah yesterday, Shas chairman Aryeh Deri gave Prime Minister Benjamin two months to regulate the status of yeshiva students, warning that if “it’s not regulated, we’ll go to elections.”

Following Smotrich’s comments, sources in the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party tell the Ynet news site that “the government is on the verge of dissolution” and warn that it, too, will vote against the budget if it is brought to a vote without the prior passage of a conscription law.