Haredi Leadership's Draft Evasion Strategy Backfires Dramatically
A core tenet of Haredi leadership, that prominent rabbis are infallible, is being challenged by the perceived failure of Rabbis Dov Lando and Moshe Hillel Hirsch. Their strategy to maintain societal separation by opposing military conscription for Haredi men has resulted in an estimated 80,000 young Haredi men becoming draft dodgers, alienating them from the broader Israeli society. This situation has led many to view the Haredi community not as the spiritual backbone of the world, as they are taught, but as draft evaders.
The ideological failure runs deeper. Historically, Lithuanian Haredim avoided involvement in wars and provoking non-Jews to prevent Jewish casualties. However, Lando and Hirsch, prioritizing short-term Haredi interests and the desire for a favorable government coalition, supported a government whose existence depended on an ongoing conflict. This environment has fostered a segment of the Haredi public embracing a 'power Judaism' ideology, aligning with far-right parties like Otzma Yehudit.
Since Haredi leaders cannot be removed without admitting the system's failure, and they are unlikely to confess to mistakes, the political fallout has impacted Knesset members Moshe Gafni and Uri Maklev, who were removed from their positions. Ironically, Rabbi Lando's influence appears to have strengthened, with his associate Yaakov Asher appointed chairman of Degel HaTorah.
