Breslov Children Protest Detention of Yeshiva Students Near Military Prison
Translated & summarized from Kikar HaShabbat by baba
Around 1,000 Breslov Hasidic students protested outside Prison 10 in Beit Lid against the detention of yeshiva students. The rally, led by Rabbi Yaakov Meir Shachter, follows a recent wave of arrests. The protest has drawn sharp political criticism, with the Ministry of Education vowing to investigate the use of students in the demonstration.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Approximately 1,000 Breslov students protested outside Prison 10 against the detention of yeshiva students.
- The protest was organized with the blessing of Rabbi Yaakov Meir Shachter, the elder rabbi of Breslov.
- The rally follows a recent increase in arrests of yeshiva students across Israel.
- Political figures criticized the event, calling for action against Haredi education.
- The Ministry of Education condemned the use of students in protests and promised an investigation.
Approximately one thousand students from Breslov Hasidic Talmud Torahs across Israel gathered on Monday for a prayer and protest rally outside Prison 10 in Beit Lid. The demonstration, organized with the blessing and leadership of Rabbi Yaakov Meir Shachter, the elder rabbi of Breslov, aimed to protest the ongoing detention of yeshiva students and married scholars (avreichim). Many of the students came from cities including Jerusalem, Bnei Brak, Beit Shemesh, Beitar Illit, Modi'in Illit, Safed, and Tel Aviv. They recited Psalms and called for the swift release of those detained. The protest follows a wave of arrests of yeshiva students in recent weeks, with dozens reportedly held at Prison 10 around the Sukkot holidays. The director of a Breslov Talmud Torah, Barakfeld, stated, "We have come here to make a cry and a protest in an organized manner, with the very breath of the children of the house of study sustaining the world, against the persecution of Torah learners in the Land of Israel."
Recent weeks have seen increased attempts to arrest yeshiva students. Earlier this month, an attempted arrest at a Tel Aviv gas station was thwarted by hundreds of students who blocked a main road. Similar attempts in Dimona and Bat Yam were also unsuccessful, with dozens of protesters arriving to disrupt the military police operations. These events have led to confrontations, with security forces eventually leaving without making arrests.
The rally has sparked political controversy. Uri Keidar, CEO of the "Free Israel" movement, criticized the event, arguing it highlights the need to close Haredi education and transfer budgets to state education. Knesset Member Moshe Tor-Paz urged the Minister of Education, Yoav Kisch, to enforce the law. The Ministry of Education responded forcefully, deeming the use of students in educational settings for protests as "flawed and פסול" (unacceptable). The ministry stated it has instructed the Haredi district to investigate the matter with the utmost severity and will take action if procedures were violated.
Rabbi Yaakov Meir Shachter, a central spiritual leader of the Breslov community, recently led a large gathering in Jerusalem. The current protest joins a series of demonstrations against the arrests of yeshiva students, including a previous event outside Prison 10 where protesters set a fire at the base entrance. Tensions surrounding the conscription issue and arrests continue to agitate the Haredi public and the political sphere.
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