Thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews, also known as Haredi Jews, gathered in Mea Shearim, Jerusalem to protest the Israeli Supreme Court's decision to require military conscription for young Haredi men, revoking their long-standing exemption. The ultra-Orthodox men and boys, dressed in black and white, filled the streets, angered by the ruling they believe threatens their religious way of life. Many argue that their commitment to religious study, particularly in Jewish seminaries called yeshivas, is crucial to protecting Israel and the Jewish people. They view their prayers and studies as a form of spiritual warfare that surpasses the need for physical combat.
One student, requesting anonymity due to the lack of rabbinical permission, claimed the army wanted to secularize them through menial tasks rather than utilize their spiritual talents. Another student, Joseph, argued that 2,000 years of Jewish persecution proved the effectiveness of religious study as a survival tactic, adding that military service would erode their religious identity.
This controversy is not new. The ultra-Orthodox community, which makes up 12.9% of the Israeli population, has long been exempt from military service, a point of contention for secular Jews who bear the brunt of military service and taxation. The issue has reached a boiling point due to the Israeli army facing immense pressure following its longest war in Gaza and the possibility of another conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon.