the haredim represent a genuine type of judaism that is respected fot their life style . they have flaws and hippocracies bur everyone does . they dont fight which increases pressure on israel to develop technological advances to improve effeciency , THE haredim ought be treated leniently they are not men of war yet but they wiill be .

Practice your religion at home, practice it in a synagogue, stay out of my sight because you are like a cigarette smoke. I stay away from secondary smoke and I stay away from religion since they both destroy my life. Yes, when you tell me what to eat, or to obey some other thrash rules, you are destroying my freedom, and without freedom I cannot live. But I give you the space and freedom to do whatever you want in private, while not affecting me. I demand from you the same, as a minimum.

I really do, because if Israel was all orthodox, well then... Goodbye Israel. Hello Palestine. The orthodox couldn't fight off the Arab World when their lives depend on it. Not for a second.

unfortunately, you don't realize that in order for you to live in free Israel, many had to pay for it with the ultimate sacrifice, with their lives. Jews waited for the faithful moment in 1948 for 2000 years, therefore, perhaps you could show some respect, nothing more, nothing less,,,

Yes , religtious Jews lived here . But how ? mostly in misery and poverty . What did they contribute to the foundation of the State ? What did they build ? I know , some of the founders of my town were religious , they deserve the respect due to them . But the developpement of my town was made by , mostly , seculars . The seculars came here in 1948 you wrote . Learn history . Rabin zl , was born here in 1922 . Moshe Dayan zl in 1915 . The Technion was founded in 1912 , Hebrew Univ in 1925 , Weizmann institute in 1934 , the Haganah 1920 , Kibbutz Degania in 1910 . This is only a small sample of the seculars , those seculars who build this country , Regarding Uganda . It was a British proposal , accepted by some as a refuge for European Jews fleeing the pogroms . Was REJECTED by the Zionist congress .

Uganda was not Herzl's dream , it was a british proposal . Some accepted it as a temporary refuge for the Jews fleeing the pogroms in Eastern Europe . The Zionist congress REJECTED this , and those who were in favor abandoned it too after the Balfour declaration . Who will feed and defend you if all the Sane Jewish Israelis leave ? In the same way as those poor Jews who lived here during centuries . Oppressed , and now even murdered , or living in misery as schnorrers .

our police,soldiers, firefighters, ambulances should ignore them too.

If they want to study Torah on Yom Haatzma'ut, then they should be ble to do so--but in their homes or shuls and not at government expense. If these schools receive government funding, then they need to follow the line set by Ministry of Education. The article does not look to bash the Haredim, as it praised one of the Haredi schools operated by Shas for honoring the day by keeping their school closed. If this particular school does go through with opening on Independence Day, then Education and even the Supreme Court may want to have a look if any law was violated. While it is not explicitly Nakba, the implicit acts are not encouraging and need to be reviewed. This action straddles the red line a bit too closely. @Jason . Thank you very much for informing all of us here about Chabad. I will look at it very differently now that I know what stance they are taking to Independence Day. People need to know.

Haredi think we depend on G-D. Secular think ,we depend on US or world opinion.

We could use this day to help the fallen soldier s orphans and family.

What does Independence Day have to do with honoring the dead? If someone isn't interested in a barbeque, should they be deported to Iran? Does eating grilled meats in the park honor fallen soldiers? What are you people talking about?

Tzom Asera B'Tevet, and Tisha B'Av. And Shabbat. What is your point?

You complain that the Haradim take over the parks and the zoos on other Jewish Holidays well heres the chance not to complain, go and enjoy yourselves in with the bbq and the Haradim will do what they do best and enjoy learning for the state of Israel. A better article would be " Which shuls say a blessing for Hallel"

against Jews.

Grow up - people have the right to do whatever they want on a holiday and it's none of your business. Yeah like the Arabs are taking the day off to honor the Jewish state. Those haredim you hate so much are making Jewish babies and keeping the state Jewish, which is worth every cent of the American billions you get. So until you get off our dole, shut up about their dole.

Shabbat is observed , other days you mention are ONLY religious days , not ISRAELI

Instead the secular ignore Lag BaOmer and dont even celebrate their own holi-day on the correct Hebrew date - Heh (5th) of Iyar - Live and let live You have your holiday and we will have ours

And what exactly is WELFAIR? A new airline perhaps?.........

BecauseJudaisme without G-D is a joke. A Jewish mom asks Jossele to wash his face.Jossele refuses stubbornly.His mom nudges till Jossele tired,agrees: Ok mom.i ll wash my face, but without water.

it's the day BEFORE Yom Haatsmaout . Don't you know ? And , as it is worldwide , the independance day is a day of festivities and joy . You have a "nice" supporter . Tell me who , and i'll tell you who [ what ] you are

This is what happens when Medinat does not clearly spell out what days the schools and other government services can choose to not observe. Then there is the question of which holidays, Israeli ones or Jewish ones. Personally, a combination of the two is in order. As for private, non state funded schools, they have the option. The Haredim live in the same country and are under the same laws as the rest of the people, and it is appreciated when they respect that. Israel is here so that they and other Jews can have the same freedom to practice as they will. I don't think it is too much to ask that they acknowledge that in a positive manner.

1. How does Torah study on Independence Day show disregard for the State? 2. The article was posted on May 6 at 8:47 PM; in other words, on Shabbat. In other words, there's nothing wrong, in the writer's eyes, in violating Shabbat publicly; but woe to a group which dares to have Torah study on Independence Day. Of course, Shabbat is a Jewish thing, while Independence Day is an Israeli concept, and to the secularists, Israeli trumps Jewish.

With all the problems in the religious community the abuses too many children lots of them falling through the cracks the corruption the lies the men who should be working to support their families but yet are wasting time studying in Yeshivas that dont' equip them to live in the real world the poverty mental issues unchecked. And I grew up Religious so I saw the good the bad and the ugly. So since some many of the so-called religious likes living in those conditions maybe they need to go back to Poland and live under the yoke of the POLES.

Will you , from your faraway USA dictate us how to live ? It's already more than enough that we have to endure our "local religious" who impose their way of life on us , so mind your own business . Torah "studies" is a waste of time , the same as reading your post and answering it .

Orthodoxe and secular people need to learn to communicate respectfully,when talking about their differences.

Think of your great grand-children and smile.

The problem isn't that the Haredim ignore independence day,the problem is,that the Haredim don't give a hand to those who carry the load,i vonder what would have happened to the Haredi's grand and great grand fathers,in poland,Russia,Hungary,Romania,if they had said to the authorities,we will not serve in the army,because we don't recognize the state.

To the Ultra-Orthdox Jews: Read Michael Orens account of the Six Day War, and understand what if, what if, Israel had no army. For starters, go back to 1944, when 500,000 Jews of all streams were slaughtered in Auschwitz even though a fraction of Jews ( from all parts of the spectrum) were allowed by Eichmann to leave Hungary ( a PR stunt by the NAZIs). I have watched pictures of WW2 and the killing of 6m Jews, many Orthodox. The Germans loved to shear the beards and make fun of the religious Jews. Now, you are protected, by your fellow Jews who you mock and separate from, over their degree ot observance. You wait for the Messiah before recognizing Israel. The Jews in Auschwitz also waited for the Messiah. Here in the States, Jews in religious neighborhoods are the laughing stock of their communities..and hated BTW. Kiryas Joel, Satmar, is the poorest enclave in the country. and for good reason, no one works there..depending on charity and changes in the municipal code. Frankly, its a schonda. You are lucky to be living in Israel, and not Poland, or the Ukraine , or Iran., or most of South America. Wake up guys, its in your (Jewish) interests and ours. Your should all be ashamed of yourselves.