If Memorial Day means nothing to *you*, then get the hell out of Israel! The day remembers those who have fallen protecting *you* in Israel's wars. If you choose to continue to hide away in your yeshivot leeching off of secular society, at least have the common decency to acknowledge who is supporting who here. Disgusting.

First, the article does a huge disservice to Haredim by lumping them all together. Some Haredim do serve in the army. Some are Zionists. And some--many, are not. But to act as if all Haredim think alike on this important issue is a bit presumptuous (and ignorant). Second, for those Haredim who the author says it means nothing: perhaps in yeshiva somewhere, you learned about this little concept call Ahavas Yisrael. So are you really saying that you cannot feel anything at all for FELLOW JEWS who died in battle or were victims of terrorism (some of those were Haredim) just because you disagree with their views? If that's the case, may I humbly suggest that you spend more time learning about this mitzvah. Because to say you just really couldn't care less that your fellow Jews died is to say that you really don't understand Torah at all regardless of how Haredi you think you are. Finally, you can't really say that the State of Israel doesn't matter to you. Are you willing to forego all the child allowances you receive from the STATE? Will Haredi educational institutions forego all financial assistance from the state? Will you stop riding on state-sponsored Egged buses? Will you stop using all of the roads in Israel, built by the state? Perhaps you will stop drinking water, delivered to your tap by the State water carrier? Or maybe you'll stop buying food that comes into Israel through the ports built by the State? One could go on and on. The point is that you rely on the state for so many things (yes, it all comes from Hashem, but the State is the vehicle through which Hashem has chosen to deliver it to you). And you couldn't survive long without it. So if you're unwilling to forego all of these things, then at least acknowledge that you are using the state for these things, or else stop accepting any help whatsoever. I know that this Yom HaZikaron, I will stand in silence for ALL of the Jews who have died, whether they are to the right or the left of me. It's wonderful that there are so many people strengthening their faith in Hashem and performance of mitzvos. It is however, a chillul Hashem that some are doing it in a way that shows no regard for anyone in Am Yisrael who isn't in their minyan.

The first ever I feel anything said would be a total waste of words and breath. I am completely speechless in the most negative way possible.

yes believe me we have nothing on this day because our two holly books dont support it there is a saying in arabic that go like better one bird in the hand then two birds in shepherds bush i never understood that saying but you know what i mean

Can we include Meah Shaarim in the deal? Then we would be winning. I can only imagine that this is lumping all of the Haredim together and I'm sure they are not all scum. But why aren't they speaking up against this stupidity???

Well, that statement, says it all. This so called "Citizen", of a free and democratic, JEWISH country, who, if, with his twisted logic, could be back in the "Shetles" of Poland, would probably be as happy. The fact, that he sees this country only as a feeding trough to him and his kind, only taking, but giving nothing in return, no army, no responsibilities, NADA...He sees us, the Seculars , as his "FRIERS", doing, his "Dirty Work"..But it goes way beyond that.. His so-called "Eccentric minority", the Neturei Karta and Satmar, the Anti-Zionest, Anti- Israel, who openly court and admire, the worst Anti-Semitic haters and seem to have more in common with Hamas, Hizzbolluah and their ilk. "This day means nothing to us, this day symbolizes nothing to us". Well, how about honoring all those that struggeled and died in the struggle for this Nation, so that you and your ilk, can have the kind of freedoms that you have, do nothing, have 12 babies, get welfare funded by the State and can continue, since we are a Democratic Country, which, to spew your nonsense and bigotry. You disgust me with your views!!

Dear Mr. Abbas, If you take the Haredim, who are far closer in spirit and practice to your most extreme religious elements -- actually even more so and look more like the Taliban or Iran-- then we'll give up Jerusalem. That would make it a fair trade.

Secular Israelis might not have such a hard time with the Haraedim not participating on Memorial or Independence days if we were not being extorted or threatened to follow up on religious practices on other days. Why should Secular Israelis forgo bread on Passover just to satisfy the "demand(s) of the haredim "?

The following are views from a Non - Zionist web site on this subject. "the fact is you dont have to be a zionist not to be kofui tov and have somewhat of a hakoras hatov, people dont like to hear it but true gedolim like the ponovizher rov felt (and so did reb chatztkel sarne ) that the medinah even though they oppossed their hashkafah it has many merits mainly being all the torah that comes forth, all the yeshivos and kollelim in eretz yisrael, that is their zechus kiyum being the largest bastion of torah beichus and bekamus, so like it or not the medinah who allows this to flourish is a silent partner in this tremendous zechus, therefore they received the respect to an extent from the ponovizher rav and other gedolim and henceforth the flag was flown, this is alef bais hashkafahs das torah but the world is so warped today they dont get it.

The following are views from a Non - Zionist web site on this subject. "Why can’t we just call it what it is. It is hakaras hatov to the Medinah for giving tens (if not hundreds) of millions of shekel to support people sitting and learning and the poor charedi families. Although many people have problems with the medinah in its current state, is it really wrong one day a year to say “thank you for financially supporting my learning”? If not for the government funding there would be a 10th of the yeshivos open today and the poverty, as bad as it is would be worse. So although you are entitled to disagree with the hashkafos (or lack there of) of the current and past Israeli leadership if you continue to bite the hand that feeds you eventually it will fall off, gut yom tov. "

For an Non Zionist religious web Site, where a respondant takes to task an anti Zionist respondant. "You are wrong and mainstream Rabbonim reject your mehalech. Back to the point (which you have cleverly veered from), I agree that early Zionists have a dark history. That being said, I still think it’s mentshlich that the Ponevezh Yeshiva raises the flag. I think it creates Achdus Yisrael and shows a modicum of hakaras hatov. The fact is that Medinat Israel is the best father-in-law and this constant spitting at it - it’s no wonder there are chilonim that hate us so much. Peace. "

the death of Rabbi Akivas 24,000 "soldiers" by keeping the halachas of Sefira? I personally commemorate both Jewish & Zionist holidays but I am equally disgusted by the secular Jews who ignore and fail to give respect to Israel's ancient fallen soldiers. Everyone lights bonfires on L'og B'omer, how about following other Jewish customs too?

As this country is about to honor the thousands of soldiers that gave their lives to keep Israel safe, Eliezer Hayon's article, Why the Haredim Don't Stand on Memorial Day, displays the height of "chutzpah" and insensitivity. He states that most haredim don't serve in the army and don't care about Memorial Day because they don't personally know any fallen individuals. Putting aside the problematic fact that an entire group of society has decided to remove itself from the mandatory draft, can Eliezer Hayon and the rest of the Haredim at least display basic human decency by acknowledging that they and their families are able to live in this country safely because of all the secular soldiers who have sacrificed for them. I would imagine that a haredi walking the streets of Manhattan during the sirens commemorating 9/11 would never have the audacity to ignore the moment of silence even if he did not know any of the firefighters or victims personally. The fallen soldiers of Israel deserve nothing less.

It's a disgrace that neither does.

On the eve of a very difficult day for most of Israel, and its families - why print this vile spew from these money grabbing greedy bastards? Of course they don't recognise it. They don't serve in the army, they don't work, they do sweet FA. They need to have all their benefits stopped, forced into the army AND made to get jobs. Hateful evil bastards.

fed up with those media allways looking for some idiots to write a paper plenty of hate; those haredim are not ALL the haredim as all the secular idiots that make mangel or goe to the beach in 9beav and yom kipoor are not ALL the seculars; as a lot of secular are aware of their jewish hollidays and its meaning, a lot of haredim are aware of the kedoosha of eretz israel and the jewish state....and perhaps more than olmert , barak, liberman and many others... of course the author knows everything about the haredim serving in nahal haredi or in yeshivat hesder, but those haredim are not interesting enough to write about them in ynetnews;

at least they should have the good manners to be thankful to those who give them money.

Ok so the ugly Haredim (not all of them) do not care about Yom Hazikaron and yom ha'atzmaut. Kibbutznikim (not all of them) do not care about yom kippur and Pesah. I got it. These are uncultured ugly people whose relationship to Judaism is skin deep. So why do they bother disagreeing when someone says so? That is the irony.

Shame on you and all your brethren. You can go to the Kotel, to the tombs of our forefathers and walk on streets where you feel safe and can proudly wear Jewish garments because of these soldiers that have fallen. They have fallen so that you could spend your entire life receiving government pensions to study at yeshivot. Your freedom is painted with the blood of all the brave and young who have fallen for the ideal of Israel. You are a disgrace to the Jewish People.

My heart cries for you and your flock. Many Israeli (need I say Jewish soldiers) died so you can study and practice the Haredi way of life. Do you not think that maybe you should show some form of gratitude for giving their lives? Shame on you and your followers!!!! How can you say that the death of a Jew (whether a soldier or not) does not bring saddness to your eyes.? Is it too much to ask to spend 2 minutes on one day of the year to acknowledge their sacrifice? Avraham

Since I or my family did not experience the Holocaust I suppose using these morons logic I should not go to any Holocaust Memorial event, Yad Vashem etc. I wonder why Isreali's can't stand the Haredim. Not!

what is the point of this article? will there be another one soon from israeli arabs telling us their point of view on these observances? I don't know any haredi people who feel this way - and those that do, Chanya, like the Satmar, don't take allowances from the state. So why the broad brush? Frankly, sounds like it was written by anyone but a haredi - we're not so wishy washy about our feelings. We know exactly why we feel the way we do - unlike the author of this pathetic article.

If we want to deprive Israeli Arabs who work for the Train System of their jobs and starve their families because they did not serve in IDF, they why don't we apply the same logic and withhold all funds to those Haredim and their institutions who also do not serve in IDF and in many ways undermine the country? On the other hand what about Druze and Beduins who do serve? Should they not receive far better treatment? Obviously, with the lack of proper exercise and physical activity in the Haredi communities, etc. the majority of the Haredim would be more of a liablility to IDF than an asset but I am sure that the govt. could find some type of national service that would suit them. As for the Netura Kartei who are allies with Ahmadinejad, HAMAS, and all our enemies, I would recommend capital punishment for them over a HAMAS terrorist.

If you are in Israel, why don't you sign up for an Ulpan and try to learn proper Hebrew.

My comment to the writer is your wrong. The chareidm of israel show disgust to there brothers and sisters. I come from a Lubavitch home the Rebbe held strong for Israel probably stronger than any chareidi or secular person in our times. I reject the chareidm unlike chabad you split yourselves off from am yisrael you do it on purpose you dont love your people instead of bringing jews closer to loving torah mitzvas you are like the taliban . you do not show chessed you only show gevura. Stop blaming the jews who are not yet torah observant that there wrong they are not the chareidim ant there rabbis are wrong. Let us stop playing games if we are all going to be an am we have to love and respect one another. Give up your chareidi rabbis and tak eon the teachings of the Lubavitcher rebbe cause he knew better than anyone the true meaning of ahavat yisrael.

I am ashamed and embarrassed being a Jew and breathing the same air as you, and I am religious. People who do not keep the Torah by not observing the Chagim may be misguided or ignorant but for you who identify yourself as a Haredi and therefore must study the Torah not to have rachmanes for people who have given up their lives to keep you safe from harm is truly disgusting. Take another look at what you wrote and print an apology lest the same fate overtake you as overtook Nabal.

The IDF is only good enough to protect the Haredim. The State of Israel is only good enough to support the yeshivot. How pathetic the Haredim really are.

Good job simplifying this problem to an extreme borne only out of ignorance. And thanks again for providing the beautiful picture of religious people that you always manage to present....maybe you can write an article about how 65% of the combat soldiers in israel are religious, but no...that would make torah seem like a good thing! has vehalilah!