{"id":409,"date":"2012-02-22T19:22:00","date_gmt":"2012-02-22T19:22:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theatheistrabbi\/2012\/02\/buses-on-shabbat-haredim-serving-in-the-idf-perish-the-thought.html"},"modified":"2012-02-22T19:22:00","modified_gmt":"2012-02-22T19:22:00","slug":"buses-on-shabbat-haredim-serving-in-the-idf-perish-the-thought","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theatheistrabbi\/2012\/02\/buses-on-shabbat-haredim-serving-in-the-idf-perish-the-thought.html","title":{"rendered":"Buses On Shabbat? Haredim Serving In The IDF? Perish The Thought!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

There have been two interesting developments in the battle of religion versus secular society in Israel.\u00a0 One is of monumental importance, the other is minor.\u00a0 First the minor story.<\/p>\n

You may have heard about the Tel Aviv city council\u2019s decision to begin limited public transportation on Shabbat.\u00a0 As they say in New York, fuhgeddaboudit.\u00a0 It\u2019s not going to happen because the municipality, as it is fully aware, has no power to authorize it.\u00a0 Only the national government can do it and it won\u2019t.\u00a0 From Haaretz:<\/a><\/p>\n

In all probability, the decision will reach the desk of Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz, who will not authorize the use of public buses on Shabbat; possibly Katz will refer the matter to the cabinet. The disposition of the Netanyahu on the government on the issue is not open to doubt \u2212 the buses are likely to remain in their garages.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Personally, I like the atmosphere in Tel Aviv on Shabbat.\u00a0 It\u2019s quieter than most days.\u00a0 Kind of like Sunday in Manhattan.<\/p>\n

But that doesn\u2019t mean that the buses shouldn\u2019t run.\u00a0 Why should private cars be the only means for people to get to the beach or places of entertainment.\u00a0 Plenty of people would dump their cars if they could get to the clubs and beaches some other way. \u00a0Drunk driving would be reduced. \u00a0Traffic would be calmer.<\/p>\n

Religious parties in the coalition will never let this happen. \u00a0A usual, they don\u2019t care to see the bigger picture.<\/p>\n

What the religious parties have less control over is the shocking, but totally fair ruling of the Supreme Court overturning the Tal Law.<\/p>\n

Ten years ago this law went into effect in order to create an \u201carrangement\u201d whereby Haredi men would be offered a path to employment via voluntary military enlistment or to permanent, life-long study via a non-expiring exemption.\u00a0 It\u2019s goal was to recruit thousands of Haredim to serve in special units that met their religious needs.\u00a0 Very few joined up.<\/p>\n

The law was set to expire, but the government had pledged to renew it, even in the face of growing opposition, including that of Defense Minister Ehud Barak.\u00a0 Now the high court, which previously gave the law a chance to work, has ordered abandonment of the program.\u00a0 This will have consequences for the current coalition<\/a>:<\/p>\n

In theory, the ruling should require the state to draft around 62,000 yeshiva students and ultra-Orthodox youths this August, on top of 7,000 yeshiva students who serve according to the Tal Law\u2019s stipulations. But a more likely scenario is that the ruling will force the Knesset to recraft the law, or the Defense Ministry will offer a new deal to Haredi men. In any case, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu\u2019s coalition may be rocked by the ruling.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It\u2019s important to keep in mind that this is not only a case of the secular versus the religious (though it is that, too).\u00a0 In fact, it\u2019s also about the legitimacy of the state.\u00a0 Haredim have been given the opportunity to perform national service \u2013 even in their own communities \u2013 and they have refused this, as well.\u00a0 They don\u2019t want to serve the Zionist government in any way.\u00a0 They prefer just to take its money.<\/p>\n

Many in the Likud Party supported the Court\u2019s ruling:<\/p>\n

MK Tzipi Hotovely (Likud) said the decision was morally correct. \u201cIt would have been preferable if the political establishment had reached the decision. Due to the consecutive failure of Israeli governments to guarantee mutual responsibility within Israeli society it was the High Court\u2019s duty to stand firm and guard social consolidation, especially in such fateful times,\u201d said Hotovely.<\/p>\n

Hotovely is a religious woman and a hard-liner on security and settlements.<\/p>\n

Here is an opportunity for the Israeli government to establish one clear and equal standard for all citizens, regardless of their \u201creligious\u201d inclinations.\u00a0 Clearly Haredi opposition is not rooted in halakhic (Jewish legal) observance, but in its lack of willingness to accept and support the Jewish state.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m no prophet, but if I were a betting man, I\u2019d bet there will be new elections very, very soon.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There have been two interesting developments in the battle of religion versus secular society in Israel.\u00a0 One is of monumental importance, the other is minor.\u00a0 First the minor story. You may have heard about the Tel Aviv city council\u2019s decision to begin limited public transportation on Shabbat.\u00a0 As they say in New York, fuhgeddaboudit.\u00a0 It\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2281,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[13,20],"class_list":["post-409","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blogentries","tag-haredim","tag-israel"],"yoast_head":"\nBuses On Shabbat? Haredim Serving In The IDF? 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