A heated episode of Kikar HaShabbat’s current-affairs panel "Black Kippahs" aired from the Kikar studios and focused on three main flashpoints: protests against drafting yeshiva students, the possibility of integrating Haredim into the army without harming their way of life, and reports of growing tension between Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu. The panel was moderated by Yossi Sergovskyi and featured Rabbi Chaim Ozer G, Israel Shila of Achvat Torah, reserve Maj. and attorney Yitzhak Glik of Al Hadegel, Ashdod deputy mayor and attorney Eli Nacht, and Rabbi Israel Trooper of the Jerusalem Faction.
The discussion opened with the Trump-Netanyahu story, with Nacht saying the reported strain was mostly a diplomatic tactic and that the U.S.-Israel alliance was too strong to collapse over a statement or two. Members of the Jerusalem Faction, however, argued that the Israeli leadership was paying a price for how it treats Torah learners. The panel also debated whether Trump is driven by ideology or economics, especially in relation to America’s moves on Iran and Israel.
The main segment dealt with demonstrations over the arrest of draft evaders and repeated road blockages across the country. Rabbi Trooper and Rabbi Chaim Ozer G said the protests were about defending the future of Torah study, not any single detainee. Shila, Nacht, and Glik countered that blocking roads, clashing with police, and disturbing the public damages the Haredi cause and creates severe image problems. Shila argued that if Torah protects the Jewish people, the answer should be stronger study halls, not street protests.
A sharper clash emerged over whether Haredi young men who are not studying full-time should be drafted or placed in adapted service tracks. Shila said those not fully engaged in Torah study should join frameworks that include military service while preserving a Haredi lifestyle. The Jerusalem Faction rejected that premise, saying the problem is not just the conditions of service but the value system and education of the army itself. The debate expanded into questions of Zionism, Judaism, the state’s identity, and the relationship between Haredim and Israeli society.
The panel also discussed the controversy over women serving in armored units. Glik said arrangements could be found that would allow women to serve while protecting the lifestyles of religious soldiers. Shila stressed the importance of IDF General Staff orders and special Haredi frameworks, while Nacht said the army’s job is to win wars, not re-educate recruits. In the "Trending" segment, the show highlighted a fiery Knesset Constitution Committee exchange in which MK Erez Malul attacked deputy legal adviser to the government Gil Limon. The panel also honored various figures of the week, including Torah leaders, a civilian from Selait who helped neutralize a terrorist after an attack, former Israeli president Zalman Shazar, and Justice Noam Sohlberg.
