Growing Nostalgia for Military Service Surpasses Old Yeshiva Sentiments Among Haredim
Within the Lithuanian yeshiva world, there is a growing nostalgia not for the historic Slabodka yeshiva but for serving in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). This shift reflects a rejection of the old Slabodka ethos, which often ignored broader Jewish communal needs and fostered extreme anti-recruitment sentiments such as the slogan 'We will die but not enlist.' These attitudes have sometimes manifested in hostile behavior toward IDF reservists, including insults directed at retired Brigadier General Ofer Winter when he encouraged Haredi enlistment.
The original Slabodka yeshiva, founded in 1882 in a Lithuanian suburb by Rabbi Nosson Tzvi Finkel, was a major spiritual center but also a symbol of exile. Its leaders eventually relocated it to Hebron in the 1920s, seeking a more sacred environment. The Slabodka approach emphasized "greatness of man" but also inspired harmful anti-enlistment ideologies that conflict with the religious obligation to defend Israel.
However, recent encounters indicate a significant change among young Haredim. Mendel Rata, a soldier from the IDF's Hasmonean Brigade and son of a prominent Ashdod Hasidic leader, described meeting a young Brisk yeshiva student who was deeply interested in the brigade and its unique character. This suggests that the younger generation is increasingly open to military service, viewing it as a source of pride rather than shame.
Social media testimonies reinforce this trend, with reports that up to 70-80% of some yeshiva students would comply if their rabbis instructed them to enlist. Additionally, Sefi Geldzahler, a social activist, shared a conversation with a Hasidic couple from an ultra-Orthodox sect who admitted that many young people secretly desire to serve in the army, despite communal taboos.
This evolving attitude challenges the old Slabodka nostalgia and signals a potential transformation in Haredi society, where military service is becoming a new ideal, replacing the previous rejection of enlistment. The question remains how this shift will affect Israeli society and its cohesion amid ongoing security threats.
