Opinion
Tel Aviv shirking its duties
Ariella Ringel-Hoffman
Published: 24.11.10, 11:04
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1. SHAMEFUL!
David ,   Haifa Israel   (11.24.10)
2. The abdication of Tel Aviv's secular population
Brian Cohen ,   Judean Peoples Front   (11.24.10)
Is it just the army? Or are Tel Avivians withdrawing from general society? One gets the impression that Tel Aviv has been reduced to a bunch of aging, hedonistic, hippy bohemians who drink a lot of coffee, are either gay or lesbian or sleep around, think that Jerusalem is in another universe, and have no interest in politics unless it has to do with rezoning their home for an swimming pool or extra floor. They shop a lot, travel a lot, party a lot, watch a lot of tv, but still light candles friday night and fast (or at least don't work) on yom kippur. As for the IDF, why should they serve when other people will serve for them and they can keep partying? Why volunteer for a combat role when it will definitely affect your hair appointments and ability to make the rounds of the clubs? (and that's the men I'm talking about!) Why the apathy in Tel Aviv? Why the self-centeredness? Why the abandonment of the rest of the country? Sorry folks. Questions yes, but no answers.
3. Let Tel Avivians live their lives as they see fit : )
Salma ,   Palestine   (11.24.10)
so there are three states "Israel", the settlers, and Tel Aviv ! Service on the beach is better than service in losing wars, even if you thought you really won it. hey Ariella , get a life not an army !
4. News Flash....
(11.24.10)
The Sky is Blue.
5. Why should they fight for something they don't care about?
yehuda ,   israel   (11.24.10)
6. No need to enlist.
Daniel ,   Dimona, Israel   (11.24.10)
The state sponsored haredim are praying for all of us, no need to worry.
7. #3 - when did Israel lose land in a war?
michael redbourn ,   Arad - Israel   (11.24.10)
8. The jerusalem Haredi dont serve either.....
SD ,   London   (11.24.10)
but I guess that's OK - they're "doing their bit" in other ways, like Sheikh Jarrah ;-)
9. article's accurate
call me Phepps ,   Netanya   (11.24.10)
Tel Aviv is indeed one of the most "fun" cities in the world. But what this shows is that life has to be more than fun. The fun-loving Tel Avivians, the army-shirkers among them--and there are many--are now no less parasitic than the most ideological among the ultra-Orthodox. But they're worse, because they weren't raised on a haredi ideology. They just couldn't care less. Thousands of rockets could fall on the Gaza-belt communities and they don't care. Only if rockets fall on them, then they'd care about it, and they'd need the rest of the country to save them because they don't know how to defend themselves anymore. Repulsive.
10. demographics
B ,   Tel Aviv   (11.24.10)
Is this "study" scientific? Has it looked at the demographics of Tel Aviv? Does it compare the high school population sizes? Tel Aviv may be lowest because most families with children of high school age cannot afford to live in Tel Aviv and therefore most people in Tel Aviv are post army or pensioners.
11. enlistment rates
Danny ,   Tel Aviv Israel   (11.24.10)
I have two sons both serve and served in combat units, I also have two nephews and a nice they all serve in combat units, all their friends serve in combat units. They all live in Tel Aviv. It is a pity the way this article has been written, Tel Aviv provides with very fine and highly motivated young soldiers. I suggest a further analysis of he 29.5% who avoided military service and find out for which reasons they skipped draft.
12. Fallacy, anyone?
Naftush ,   Israel   (11.24.10)
TA is top-heavy in population groups that don't generate candidates for military service, the elderly in particular, and is lacking in large families, the national-religious, and others that yield lots of soldiers. This must explain much of the difference. While some of TA never stops, much of it never starts.
13. Tel Aviv is a pathetic sick city. glad i moved away
(11.24.10)
14. Are the missing 8% doing civil service instead?
Aaron ,   Tel Aviv   (11.24.10)
I know Tel Aviv people who don't serve in the army for moral reasons, but they do civil service instead. From what I see of your statistics, they're presenting only half the picture. Maybe Tel Aviv proces more civil service recruits than other places.
15. very important data
moshe ,   jerusalem   (11.24.10)
This is the tip of the iceberg. We need to know more. For example, of the 70% of TA's who serve in the IDF, how many serve in combat units compared to other areas? Also, what happens to the 30% who don't serve? How does this correlate with voting patterns and political and religious affiliations? Does the data for TA include Herzeliya and other areas near TA?
16. not enough details
Israel Israeli ,   Tel Aviv   (11.24.10)
Without more details, this article is meaningless. Is Tel Aviv ranked 53d as a percentage of draft age men and women? or as a total of population which includes elderly and Africans? How many aren't drafted because of religious reasons? How many aren't drafted because they bought a 21 profile from a Ramat Aviv psychologist? How many aren't drafted because they are a Leftist security risk?
17. Most-not all-RADICAL ATHEIST LEFTIST live in this area!
Jason   (11.24.10)
obvious results!
18. tel aviv-post zionism
jim cohen ,   tel aviv   (11.24.10)
tel aviv is the perfect example of the liberal arab loving -live and let live society that is the product of the teaching that the nakba was our fault along with so many other misguided thoughts -- what a shame--then they complain that onle the religious are joining the army-what do u expect . when the people in tel aviv are taught to hate the army
19. to those who raised questions about the data
call me Phepps ,   Netanya   (11.24.10)
Tel Aviv is very low in percentage of draft-age youth who enlist at all, and among those who do, very low in percentage of those who opt for combat service or officers' school. I know people who live there, and many stories about faking psych problems to the draft board, buying letters from psychiatrists, etc. Every individual who is truly motivated and does serve with devotion, deserves credit no matter where he lives. But in Tel Aviv there are far less of them. As for why it is, the city has an ethos that says "life is for fun and one's own selfish pursuits." It may be bcs it has always been radically secular (as opposed to moderately secular). Ringel-Hoffman's brief description is very accurate. For data see: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3986739,00.html
20. #3You said let them live as they want,so you can attack the
chris ,   wales   (11.24.10)
unsuspecting. Three Nations? and tell us when Israel lost their wars?even when they attacked Israel,using the might of Egyptian Army,Syria,Jordan,You still gor your ass kicked..The Famous 6 day war..Didn't God say in 6 Days he created the earth?
21. Spiritual Divide
chris ,   wales   (11.24.10)
The Divide is also a Spiritual one. I think most Israelis will not wake up until the Biblical Prophecies come upon them as described in Ezekiel 38&39 The Hebrew Prophets tells us time after time that Only when Israel is Surrounded,Isolated,and Eventually Invaded by World Powers will they wake up..what is Israel's weakest link?what have they not Learned?God,The Bible!,and Prophecy.Without Prophecy There would not be an Israel to speak of. Tel Aviv is fast becoming like Sodom and Gomorrah,ISRAEL,Don't Forget what happened here? Tel Avaiv will be in the front line of Chemical attack,yet They live with their heads under the sand..
22. They must be Haredi!
Jay ,   USA   (11.24.10)
23. well it's true almost all lefties nut jobs from Israel
ghostq   (11.24.10)
r Tell Avivian, it seems they live in a small narrow world, and they never lived outside the city.
24. to #3 ohhhhh service on the beach.
ghostq   (11.24.10)
sound very you salma, do share.
25. Part of the responsibility...
Gabriel ,   Jerusalem   (11.24.10)
...for this terrible trend lies with the Israeli military leadership, who continually place our soldiers in dangerous situations with overly restrictive ROEs, in order to appease those who hate us. Consider the fact that our finest soldiers were recently send in to stop the Mavi Marmara, an extremely dangerous operation with a very violent crew, with *paintball guns*. Young Israelis and their parents, I believe, are losing faith in the Israeli military establishment to keep our soldiers safe. It seems to them that Israel values the lives of our enemies more than our soldiers.
26. I have an idea
Gee ,   Zikron Yaakov   (11.24.10)
No service - no vote. Doesn't matter if military or national. That way anybody that doesn't do service regardless of race, religion, or sex doesn't have a say in running the country.
27. Haredim prayer better than IDF for keeping Israel safe
talmudic sage ,   TA   (11.24.10)
And yes I live in Tel Aviv. And my five children will not serve in the IDF. This is our choice and business. It is not the business of the unrighteous to tell us what to do.
28. Article does not make sense!
Maurice ,   Montreal   (11.24.10)
Isn't army service compulsory in Israel for evry young man and woman no matter where they live? Since when people can choose not to go to the army in Israel? At worst they can delay it for a while if they go to university, but they can not get away from the army unless they live abroad. The article does not make any sense!
29. And those people scream about the Hareidim!
Ben Yisrael ,   Israel   (11.24.10)
30. and what about Jerusalem?
Chad ,   Tel Aviv   (11.24.10)
If this author was interested in accuracy, she'd have mentioned that Jerusalem and Bnei Brak ranked lower than Tel Aviv in IDF conscription rates. But of course, she is only interested in stigmatising Tel Avivians. Shame on her
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