Six Draft Dodgers Caught at Ben Gurion Airport Trying to Reach Ukraine

Airport Authority officials apprehended six draft dodgers at Ben Gurion Airport on Wednesday as they attempted to leave Israel. Two were stopped at Terminal 1 and four at Terminal 3. The individuals, who were found to have outstanding military service orders preventing their departure, were transferred to the Population and Immigration Authority.

This incident is part of a larger trend, with dozens of Breslov Hasidic followers subject to conscription having been detained at the airport in recent weeks. They were attempting to travel to Uman, Ukraine, to pray at the grave of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, particularly around the High Holidays. Some individuals were also apprehended at the Taba border crossing, attempting to reach Uman via Egypt and Europe.

Senior rabbis within the Hasidic community recently released a recording urging potential dodgers not to attempt to travel to Uman by feigning enlistment. The recording, originally from a gathering before last year's High Holidays, features Rabbi Yaakov Meir Shacter advising followers that while devotion is needed for the Uman pilgrimage, it should not be expressed by risking spiritual harm.

The rabbis' warning comes after a controversial AI-generated video was briefly posted on an official IDF Instagram account. The video depicted a Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) figure in uniform advising draft dodgers on how to avoid arrest at the airport by reporting to a recruitment office and providing personal details, thereby obtaining permission to travel abroad without being detained. This tactic, known within the Haredi community, has been used by many to leave the country without actually enlisting. The IDF removed the video hours after its release due to widespread criticism.