Thousands of Gur Hasidim Protest Student's Arrest Outside Military Prison

Thousands of Gur Hasidim gathered on Monday evening for a prayer and protest rally led by the Gur Rebbe outside the gates of Military Prison 10. The demonstration was organized in response to the arrest of Israel Reuven Fein, a student at the "Sfat Emet" yeshiva, who was detained after appearing three times at the military recruitment office to regularize his status. According to the Gur community, Fein's original draft date was the previous Monday. He mistakenly went to the Jerusalem recruitment office instead of Haifa, where he was supposed to report. After being redirected to Haifa, he arrived too late and was sent home with instructions to return the next day. On his second visit, his enlistment process was not advanced, and he was again sent home with a new summons. On the third visit, military officials declared him a draft dodger since two days had passed since his official draft date.

The rally was called by Rabbi Itche Meir Tauman, head of the Gur yeshiva, who urged the community to protest what he described as an insult to the Torah and desecration of God's honor. This is the second such protest by the Gur Hasidim at Prison 10 within a month, also led by the Gur Rebbe and attended by thousands, who prayed and recited Psalms demanding the release of yeshiva students held by the military. The event reflects ongoing tensions between the ultra-Orthodox community and the Israeli military over draft enforcement policies.