ultra-Orthodox draft

Israelis attend a protest against military service exemptions for ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students and the government's planned judicial overhaul, outside the Kol Torah yeshiva in Jerusalem, May 4, 2023. (Noam Revkin Fenton/Flash90)

Cabinet shields Haredi youth from military draft, 5 days before exemption law expiry

Defense minister will order the military not to enforce conscription of religious scholars until March 31, 2024, by which time the government plans to have passed a new law

June 25, 2023, 8:38 pm

Cabinet shields Haredi youth from military draft, 5 days before exemption law expiry

Defense minister will order the military not to enforce conscription of religious scholars until March 31, 2024, by which time the government plans to have passed a new law

By Carrie Keller-Lynn

Opposition leader and Yesh Atid chairman MK Yair Lapid speaks at the Herzliya Conference at Reichman University, May 23, 2023. (Gilad Kavalerchik)

May 23, 2023, 2:14 pm

Lapid accuses government of giving Haredim ‘our tax money to ensure they won’t work’

Opposition leader denounces Netanyahu-led coalition for failing to tackle cost of living, says budget tells ultra-Orthodox: ‘The suckers’ children will pay for your children’

By Jeremy Sharon

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu leads the weekly Likud party meeting at the Menachem Begin Heritage Center in Jerusalem on March 14, 2016. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

May 20, 2023, 1:05 am

Support for Netanyahu goes up, but voters unhappy with policies for Haredim — poll

Prime minister overtakes Gantz in public support after latest Gaza flare-up, Channel 12 survey says; 63% say premier ‘surrendered to the ultra-Orthodox’ in budget talks

By ToI Staff

A worker in an Angel Bakeries Factory in Jerusalem on August 16, 2010 (Abir Sultan/Flash 90)

May 5, 2023, 1:15 pm

Haredi calls for boycott of bread giant after board chair protests leading rabbi

Ultra-Orthodox politician questions Angel Bakeries’ kashrut after ex-minister Barlev attends draft exemption rally; opposition MKs encourage people to buy from brand in response

By Michael Horovitz

May 4, 2023, 11:19 pm

‘Day of Equality’ sought to revitalize protests; limited turnout underlines challenge

Demonstrations against Haredi military exemptions, religious and gender inequality were an effort to restore momentum of anti-overhaul movement, but public’s response was muted

By Jeremy Sharon

Protesters push strollers carrying small coffins in a rally outside the IDF Induction Center on May 4, 2023. (Mothers at the Front)

May 4, 2023, 11:54 am

Ayalon blocked, mothers rally at induction center in protests of overhaul, inequality

Demonstrations focused on social equality held nationwide, at ministers’ homes, religious institutions; mothers group with baby coffins protests bill to exempt all Hardim from IDF

By Jeremy Sharon

File: Housing and Construction Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf attends a conference in Tel Aviv on March 22, 2023. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)

May 4, 2023, 2:14 am

Government will ‘fall apart’ without law on Haredi military exemption, warns minister

As the PM drags his feet on the issue, UTJ officials tell ultra-Orthodox weekly that an ‘alternative’ coalition can be formed

By ToI Staff and Jeremy Sharon

Israelis clash with police during a protest against the Israeli government's planned judicial overhaul, in Haifa, northern Israel, March 23, 2023. (Shir Torem/Flash90)

May 3, 2023, 8:30 pm

‘Disruption Day’ on Thursday as overhaul protest groups seek to reenergize streets

Organizers say they will block highways and intersections around the country. ‘Life cannot continue as normal,’ says one protest leader

By Jeremy Sharon

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, shakes hands with United Torah Judaism MKs Yisrael Eichler, center and Meir Porush in the Knesset, January 25, 2019. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90/File)

May 2, 2023, 11:40 pm

Netanyahu’s Haredi allies turn up heat, reiterate demand for military exemption law

UTJ minister Porush tells PM to go home if he can’t keep coalition deal vow to pass law before budget approval; fellow MK threatens party may avoid voting for crucial state budget

By Jeremy Sharon and ToI Staff

Leader of the National Unity Party MK Benny Gantz speaks during a faction meeting of the National Unity Party at the Knesset, on May 1, 2023. (Yonatan SIndel/Flash90 )

May 1, 2023, 5:42 pm

Gantz: No progress in talks with government on judicial reform compromise

At weekly faction meetings, opposition leaders urge Haredi community to embrace national service or risk deepening an ‘open wound’ in society

By ToI Staff and Jeremy Sharon

April 30, 2023, 10:17 pm

Haredi parties said to back down from demand to pass IDF draft law before budget

Shas, UTJ reportedly acquiesce to Netanyahu’s request to wait on highly contentious legislation, but leading rabbis must sign off

By ToI Staff

Right-wing Israelis attend a rally in support of plans by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government to overhaul the judicial system, outside the Knesset, Israel's parliament in Jerusalem, Thursday, April 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

April 29, 2023, 4:14 pm

Pro-overhaul protest showed the right’s strengths — and the government’s weakness

Likud voters want gov’t to focus on declining economy, Haredi parties want draft exemption law, religious Zionist voters want continued judicial reform. Can PM satisfy them all?

By Haviv Rettig Gur

File: Police use a water cannon to disperse a protest against the arrest of a yeshiva student who failed to comply with an IDF conscription order, at the entrance to Jerusalem, on March 23, 2017. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

April 20, 2023, 11:16 am

How to heal a rift: Don’t exclude Haredim from IDF; include them in national service

As with the judicial overhaul, the looming tragedy of an ultra-Orthodox exemption law is exacerbated by the fact that a win-win alternative is staring our legislators in the face

By David Horovitz

IDF chief Herzi Halevi speaks to troops ahead of a military march, April 20, 2023. (Israel Defense Forces)

April 20, 2023, 11:07 am

Opposing blanket exemption for Haredim, IDF chief says it must remain ‘people’s army’

As Netanyahu discusses proposal to exempt ultra-Orthodox men from service at a younger age, Halevi says ‘our strength is greater’ when army is united, heterogeneous

By Emanuel Fabian

Yair Lapid, leader of the opposition's Yesh Atid party, addresses Israelis protesting against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's judicial overhaul plan, outside the Knesset in Jerusalem, March 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

April 19, 2023, 3:08 pm

Lapid urges inclusion of Haredi draft bill in overhaul talks to avoid further rift

Yesh Atid, National Unity argue that issue was mentioned by president when he laid out framework for negotiations; coalition rejects idea, claims no time

By ToI Staff