Latest news with #RabbiDovLandau
France 24
5 days ago
- Politics
- France 24
Israel ultra-Orthodox vow to push back after students' arrest
"The authorities will face a united global ultra-Orthodox Judaism fighting for its soul," the spiritual leader of ultra-Orthodox Jews of European descent, Rabbi Dov Landau, told the community's leading newspaper Yated Neeman under the front-page headline "War". The exemption of many ultra-Orthodox men from the military service performed by other Jews has long been a contentious issue in Israel but it has become more so as the Gaza war has dragged on, putting a strain on army reservists. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government has depended on the support of ultra-Orthodox parties for its majority in parliament. But its failure to pass new legislation to give full-time seminary students continued exemption from military service has tested that support. Both of the two main parties representing ultra-Orthodox of European descent have withdrawn their ministers from the government, while one has also stopped supporting it in parliament. The ultra-Orthodox community represents 14 percent of Israel's Jewish population, about 1.3 million people, and around 66,000 men of military age previously benefited each year from exemptions. The Israeli army announced in early July that tens of thousands of conscription orders would be sent out to ultra-Orthodox Jews. Earlier this week, authorities arrested two brothers, both full-time seminary students, after they failed to heed their call-up papers. © 2025 AFP
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
'Israel has declared war on Torah scholars': Haredi leaders call for global protest
"The State of Israel has declared war on Torah scholars. The Haredi community will launch a global battle like no other,' the leaders of the Haredi community said. The leaders of the global haredi community on Wednesday held an emergency consultation meeting at the home of leading haredi figure Rabbi Dov Landau, following the arrest of two yeshiva students for draft dodging. In the meeting, leaders discussed 'ways to respond following the arrest of the yeshiva students, with the goal of formulating a consensus reaction among all sects and communities.' 'As is known, Rabbi Landau warned last week in his speech at the Council of Yeshivas conference that if the State of Israel declares war on Torah scholars, the entire Haredi Jewish world will mobilize for a fight," the Haredi community said in a statement. "The State of Israel has declared war on Torah scholars. The Haredi community will launch a global battle like no other.' The IDF military court arrested the two Haredi brothers, Rafael and Baruch Yitzhakov, of the 'Meorot HaTorah' yeshiva in Kiryat Ye'arim, on Tuesday night and sentenced them to 17 and 13 days in detention, respectively. Liberman: If only the haredi community focused on the country's safety "Following the arrest of draft dodgers - an emergency gathering at Rabbi Lando's house to fight against conscription, while our soldiers are fighting on all fronts and risking their lives," Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Lieberman wrote on X/Twitter. "If they enlisted for the security of the state as zealously as they enlist for draft dodging, the State of Israel would be stronger and more united." This is a developing story.
