Hundreds of Orthodox Children Protest IDF Draft at Military Prison

Hundreds of schoolchildren from the Bratslav Hasidic community protested on October 12 outside the military prison in Beit Lid, near Netanya, against the IDF draft. The children were bused in from various cities including Safed, Jerusalem, and Tel Aviv for the demonstration, which was organized against the arrest of draft dodgers and deserters, particularly those who traveled to Uman, Ukraine, for Rosh Hashanah.

The protest occurred less than a day after the outgoing head of the IDF Manpower Directorate, Brigadier General Shai Tayeb, warned of a growing shortage of soldiers. The demonstration featured hundreds of chairs set up on a field near the prison, with refreshments provided for the children. Speakers led prayers and recited Torah verses through loudspeakers.

A poster advertising the event stated it was to "encourage and strengthen the detainees" who were prevented from fulfilling the commandment to visit Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav's grave in Uman. Rabbi Yoel Fuchs, director of the "Bratslav" educational network, read out the names of imprisoned deserters, with the children repeating each name and shouting "Chazak v'ematz!" ("Be strong and courageous!").

The Ministry of Education condemned the involvement of children in political activities, stating that "using students for participation in political actions within the framework of school activities is unacceptable and prohibited." The ministry announced it would investigate and take strict action against any violations of regulations.

Recent arrests of deserters have decreased, though last week the Legal Advisor to the Government, Gali Baharav-Miara, informed the Supreme Court that 64 Orthodox individuals, mostly Bratslav Hasidim returning from Uman, were detained at Ben Gurion Airport. An additional several dozen were detained en route to Uman and sent to military prison, prompting the protest at Prison No. 10.

Brigadier General Tayeb, in his final days in office, had focused on increasing the IDF draft among the Orthodox population. He noted that the war, which began on October 7, 2023, had doubled operational needs and exacerbated the IDF's existing shortage of thousands of soldiers. Tayeb credited efforts to integrate the Orthodox community into the army, stating, "You opened the gates of the IDF to the Orthodox public in various unusual ways and methods that meet operational needs. You strengthened trust in the army: this is right and possible. The revolution has already manifested in many units and in a growing number of recruits. And I believe this is just the beginning, many others will follow."