Recently a significant fundraising event gathered major donors to support religious schools facing budget cuts following a recent Israeli Supreme Court ruling. According to Israel Hayom reports, attendees contributed generously, adding to the tens of millions already raised. Among the notable donors was David Hager, a Los Angeles businessman and philanthropist known for his strong support of "Nahal Haredi," an organization that assists ultra-Orthodox soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
While waiting for another prominent rabbi to arrive, Hager had a private 40-minute conversation with Rabbi Hirsch, a highly respected figure in the ultra-Orthodox community. They discussed the existing opportunities for ultra-Orthodox individuals in the IDF and various aspects of military service for their community.
A key point of their discussion was the potential enlistment of ultra-Orthodox individuals who are not enrolled in religious schools and, therefore, do not qualify for the typical military exemption associated with intensive religious study. Rabbi Hirsch concluded that those engaged in secular work or academic pursuits should be subject to the draft, while maintaining that religious students should remain exempt, even if they are unable to study full-time.
This position marks a significant departure from the traditional stance of ultra-Orthodox leaders, who have typically avoided such statements without clear legislative support for religious student exemptions. Rabbi Hirsch's remarks surprised many in his circle and among event attendees.
Inspired by the rabbi's ground-breaking stance, Hager made a substantial donation of $1.37 million to the religious school fund, the largest contribution of the evening. He emphasized the need to publicize Rabbi Hirsch's words to reshape the ongoing debate about military service for non-studying ultra-Orthodox individuals, a shift that could potentially lead to thousands enlisting—an important step for both strengthening military ranks and improving Israel's social cohesion.
