End military exemption

Israeli society is a sectarian society, divided into tribes based on nationalist, ethnic and religious backgrounds. One of its deepest and most painful rifts stems from the exemption of yeshiva students from military service.

This rift, which touches upon a very sensitive social nerve, has preoccupied the government since the founding of the State and is sad testimony to the failure of the Knesset, which is supposed to represent society as a whole.

This failure is evident on several levels: In the lack of public sensitivity to a flawed legislation, and in the absence of criticism over the cabinet's inability to enforce the bill.

The lack of public sensitivity regarding the sweeping exemption of yeshiva students from IDF service created a sense of discrimination by the majority who bear the burden of reserve duty, while also distancing the ultra-Orthodox community from the Israeli experience.

The number of yeshiva students exempt from serving in the IDF has dramatically increased since the bill's introduction. Even Ben Gurion, who proposed the bill upon the establishment of the State, changed his mind, and as early as 1958 in a speech to the Knesset he called to nullify the sweeping exemption.

The legislation's failure is embodied in the Tal Law, introducted five years ago. The law proposed that a way be found to defer military service for yeshivas students under certain conditions with the aim of reducing inequality among the various sectors.

According to the Tal Law, haredi men aged 22 to 27 who have deferred their draft by studying in yeshivas from the age of 18 may leave their studies for one year without automatically being drafted into the army. This is known as "the year of decision" and students are entitled to spend the year as they wish.

At the end of the year, students must decide whether to seek another draft deferment and return to the yeshiva, or join the army. If the student meets criteria determined by the army, he may, in lieu of military service, volunteer for a year of community service.

As of the end of 2005, some four years after the bill was passed, less than three percent of yeshiva students opted for "a year of decision," and less than one percent ultimately enlisted into the military or community service. According to these figures, the bill clearly fails to meet its objective.

Even the High Court, which refrained from annulling the bill, ruled that the law would not withstand the legislative test if not amended drastically. The criticism over the bill's flawed implementation, rather than coming from the Knesset, came from the Court, which in its recent ruling questioned the ability to actually apply the law.

Home front solution

The second Lebanon War exposed the severe manpower shortage in home front operations. Dozens of non-profit organizations with thousands of volunteers filled the massive vacuum that had been created and to whom Northern residents and Israeli society are indebted.

As the involvement of public figures from the haredi community in these non-profit organizations is substantial, and in wake of the lessons drawn from the war, it would seem as though an opportunity for an agreed solution for the two issues at hand may have been found - namely, formally establishing a community service home front mechanism that would primarily operate during emergencies and national crises.

Such a community service mechanism, which would serve as a legal alternative for those exempted from military service,  would provide those joining its ranks with short basic training for operating in emergency situations on the various home fronts. During national emergencies these persons would be called up for active service.

The Knesset debate set to be held on extending the law, which expires on July 31st, presents Knesset members with an opportunity to heal the bleeding wound of society by drafting a new and agreed-upon social solution based on tolerance and understanding.

Such a solution must recognize the importance of Torah study in Israeli society while understanding that the obligation of every citizen to perform military service is a foundation stone in consolidating the image of Israeli society. We would do well to find the fine balance between these two insights, which ought to be grasped by all the Knesset factions.