During Jerusalem There is a neighborhood that has not changed its routine, returning to normal, with businesses open and now more marchers than police on the streets. Inside ultra-orthodox Mea SharimOn October 7, life went on. day Hamas attack, The Jewish people in Israel eagerly awaited the celebration of the end of the apocalypse SukkotOne of the main holidays of Judaism. But the most violent attack his country has suffered in decades halted the celebrations. Even so, the vast majority of citizens in Jerusalem’s Mea Sharim neighborhood are ultra-Orthodox. they didn’t stop music, banquets or family gatherings. Inside your parallel worldSince it occurred in the middle of Shabbat, they felt safe in Israel because there was no electricity or internet connection.
This is the ultra-Orthodox community or haredi The rest of the citizens of Israel. Therefore, the latest news from the dark and unknown worlds of this religious group has surprised the country. At least 3,000 men Members of this community presented themselves as follows: Those who volunteer to join the army. The importance of this gesture increases knowing that they are one of the few population groups in Israel. exempt from compulsory military service. “Normally under these circumstances the haredi to pray and although they devoted more hours to Torah study, there was a high level of progress, although this too has passed. stubbornness “In order to join the ranks, this provision has been completed,” he says. Yehohua Pfefferfrom the School of Social Work and Social Welfare Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Even though they represent 13.3% of the population In Israel, they generally do not interact with people outside their own community. The war seems to have given them this opportunity. “A change is taking place among the ultra-Orthodox greater participation and greater identification“, tells this rabbi and father of eight children to EL PERIÓDICO DE CATALUNYA of the Ibérica Prensa Group. Since the beginning of the conflict, “we think less about them against us and more about ourselves” all of us together“Much of this interest, explains the head of the Tikvah Fund’s haredi division. Intelligenceis the Hebrew abbreviation for Disaster Victim Identification. This non-governmental organization, as an expert in the burial of those whose body parts are not together in accordance with Jewish law, has pioneered the work to identify those killed.
“Real opportunity”
“This willingness to join the military services is unprecedented,” Pfeffer insists. “The question now is to what extent this will happen. The army recognizes this potential?” he asks this newspaper. The ultra-Orthodox community in Israel, highest growth rate About 4% per year among the entire population of developed countries, according to the Israel Democracy Institute. But its widespread presence does not correspond to a good relationship with one of the most important institutions in the country: Israel Defense Forces. “If more and more Haredi wear uniforms The relationship between them in ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods will change; “This is a real opportunity for military service to become part of ultra-Orthodox life,” he celebrates.
After these 3,000 volunteers completed the one-week training, 2,100 Those who have filled out all the necessary forms will not take up arms. These are expected to be integrated combat support positions during the war. In Israel, ultra-Orthodox women and male yeshiva students under the age of 26 are exempt from military service thanks to a controversial law. status quo agreement. Although many attempts have been made KnessetThese men do not have to go into the Army as long as they stay in yeshivas, Torah and Talmud study centers, so that they can serve like the rest of the population, the Israeli Parliament said.
change in society
“There are thousands of Haredi youth They don’t study and they don’t do military service. “Israel must ensure that those who do not study Torah full-time are in the military like everyone else, because that is the only way to achieve this,” Pfeffer notes. Solve our moral problem of not serving and to prevent the disintegration of Israeli society,” says this ultra-Orthodox leader. Pfeffer insists on using the “momentum” to make this happen.”change of activity“and all these young people coincide with other citizens in their three-year military service. Haredim, who, unlike the entire population outside the Arab community, are not obliged to do so freeloaders living off public assistance.
In the ultra-Orthodox society, women generally work. Men devote their days to this studying religious texts. “The unprecedented recruitment of part of our community into the military, unity of the people Israel, “Because a lot of the friction with Israeli society stems from their exemption from military service,” Pfeffer says. “This is happening now because there is a general trend towards modernization, because this war is real and they want to contribute and they have realized that.” It has been proven that Israel cannot rely on a small, technological army, but instead needs one. strong and powerful army“, he says. So October 7 not only changed the psyche of Israel forever. The extraordinary violence used could also transform relations between the most oppositional members of society.