There is a lot of anger in Israel these days. One issue which comes up time and again is that of our Haredi brothers and sons not serving in the IDF.
The anger towards them is understandable and even justified. When soldiers are dying to protect our homeland, to protect our right to walk these beautiful paths, to shop and cook and work and raise children here, and a huge population of able-bodied young men just turns their back on all of us, and goes about life like nothing is wrong– Fury would be a more fitting reaction.
As tensions rise and calls for 'shivyon benetel' or 'equally shouldering the burden of protecting the State' grow louder, it’s tempting to wake them up from their chosen slumber.
In fact, an up-and-coming Haredi journalist Eli Gotthelf wrote an article on Kikar Shabbat yesterday in which he said, “Every student who sits in yeshiva needs to realize that the right to study Torah is paid for with blood- although the letters of the gemora are written in black ink, they bleed with warm sticky blood- the blood of young soldiers who fell this morning. This blood - it is the price of every line of Gemara that I study.”
And it’s not that I don’t agree with this and it’s not that I’m not angry. Because I am. I try not to be, but it eats at me. In the ultra orthodox neighborhood where I live, I see young men in the bakery, in the streets and I feel enraged that they refuse the call to serve.
But here’s the problem: Guilt tripping the ultra orthodox just does not get us where we want to be. Bombarding them with guilt-laden messages about military service is about as effective as trying to convince a vegan to eat meat by showing them pictures of delicious steaks. It misunderstands both the audience and the nature of deeply held beliefs.
The Haredi community doesn't avoid military service because they're unaware of its importance or ignorant of national security challenges. According to their worldview, Torah study isn't just a personal choice - it's both their divine mission and their way of protecting Israel through spiritual means.
When we respond to this with guilt trips and moral condemnation, we're not just failing to convince them; we're actively reinforcing their perception of secular / national religious society as hostile to their values.
I've spent years observing these dynamics, and here's where we are going wrong: We approach this issue as if it's a simple matter of civic duty, as if showing the ultra-Orthodox community enough images of soldiers defending the borders will suddenly make them abandon generations of religious conviction. This isn't just naive - it's counterproductive.
Every viral post shaming the Haredim, every confrontational news segment, every angry opinion piece does nothing but strengthen their resolve.
When faced with external pressure, communities don't typically respond by saying, "You know what? Maybe these people who show complete disregard for our beliefs have a point." Instead, they circle the wagons and dig in deeper.
If we're serious about increasing Haredi participation in national service, we need to change what we have been doing thus far. Because the only thing we know for sure is that it just doesn't work.
The path forward is likely going to be found after genuine dialogue. Practical solutions will also go a long way. We need specialized programs that respect religious requirements, leadership engagement at the community level, and most importantly, a recognition that any meaningful change will come from within the ultra-Orthodox community, not from external pressure.
In light of the current security situation, there is a sense of urgency about getting the ultra orthodox to serve in the IDF once and for all. As though it were that easy.
But here's the uncomfortable truth: The aggressive, guilt-based approach hasn't worked for decades, and continuing to double down on it won't magically make it more effective now. We're stuck in a cycle of mutual resentment that serves nobody's interests.
The solution starts with understanding that the ultra-Orthodox aren't sitting in their yeshivas because they're unpatriotic or insensitive to national security needs. They're there because they genuinely believe it's their divinely mandated role in protecting the state.
Disagree with this view? Fine. But thinking we can shame people out of their fundamental beliefs is both arrogant and historically ignorant.
It's time to admit that our strategy of guilt and moral pressure has failed. Only when we move beyond this unproductive approach can we begin to have the kind of meaningful dialogue that might actually lead to change.
The alternative is to keep doing what we've always done - and to keep getting what we've always gotten.
The path to increased Haredi participation in national service won't be found in viral social media campaigns or angry opinion pieces like this one. It will be found in patient, respectful dialogue, practical accommodations, and a willingness to understand that change in traditional communities happens gradually, from within.
Everything else is just us talking to ourselves while pretending that we're solving the problem.
Gotthelf was right though: “Perhaps this is what distinguishes Torah study these days - that every page of Gemara is not just black ink on white paper. It is mixed with blood and tears.”
