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Even without the current disaster, Israeli tolerance for the ultra orthodox was never going to hold up. But now it has shattered.

Until recently, a large majority of Israelis tolerated the [ultra orthodox]. Sometimes they gritted their teeth, sometimes they griped, but they went on shouldering the security and economic burden of the state on behalf of the haredim. The events of the last few months, and the conduct of the government, in full partnership with the haredim, will likely change all that. Utterly blind to reality, the haredim have now gone even further by proposing a new Basic Law: “Torah Study,” which would give draft dodgers a status similar to those serving in the IDF.

… Faced with yet another step which the majority of Israelis, the burden bearers, perceive as unfair and exploitative, the tumult of recent days may pale in comparison to what is to come. True, the haredim can do whatever they want under the current government, but short of a complete dictatorship here, they will pay the full price when the next government takes power. The budgets that finance their way of life will be slashed, government support for those who don’t prepare their students for a productive life will be terminated, and rights will be denied to those who don’t serve in the army or at least in civilian national service.

Margaret Soltan, August 4, 2023 4:45PM
Posted in: forms of religious experience

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8 Responses to “Even without the current disaster, Israeli tolerance for the ultra orthodox was never going to hold up. But now it has shattered.”

  1. Dmitry Says:

    “… but short of a complete dictatorship here, they will pay the full price when the next government takes power”

    Hasn’t that bridge already been crossed? When will this next government come?

  2. Margaret Soltan Says:

    I singled that sentence out, too. But I agree with the writer that the government is likely to change back to democratic, and when that happens the shit, for the haredim, will definitely hit the fan.

  3. Dmitry Says:

    The link is behind a subscription so I could not read it. Netanyahu and cohorts have held power for a long time and are never out for very long. I don’t see the same bent for democracy that you do. The canton idea does not seem far-fetched.

  4. Margaret Soltan Says:

    Yeah sorry about the link but I figured the whole point of the piece is in the headline, first few lines.

    And the comments on the piece – which do show up – kick the issue around in an interesting way.

    https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2023-08-04/ty-article-magazine/.highlight/haredim-realize-backing-the-coup-was-a-mistake-and-worry-revenge-is-coming/00000189-c08f-d821-afdd-dbaf1f8e0000

  5. Dmitry Says:

    I see two themes in the comments:
    1) There will be a next election/reckoning
    – Remains to be seen
    2) The haredim should move to their communities “in the Diaspora”
    – Leaves others with even fewer options to deal with the problem

  6. Margaret Soltan Says:

    America’s ultraorthodox, like Israel’s, are a real and growing problem. They share the same large-scale vaccine refusal, high rates of welfare dependency/welfare fraud, sexual abuse scandals, a refusal to educate their children, a tendency to riot when annoyed, gender segregation, and general lack of interest in following the laws of this country. Israel’s ultraorthodox way outnumber them and are much further developed in every one of these outlaw tendencies. Israel’s community would be far better off in Saudi Arabia.

  7. Dmitry Says:

    I think we’re in agreement. On a prior topic I commented on the similarities among the orthodox across the middle east. I don’t think Saudi Arabia would accept them but that just exposes other hypocrisies. I believe that the Haaretz commenters were hoping the haredi would repair to New York and other places. Casting off problems of one’s making onto others is disturbing.

  8. Margaret Soltan Says:

    Relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel grow warmer by the day. Saudi Arabia shares precisely the primitive ethos on which ultraorthodoxy is based, and has far too much money to bother about the civic uselessness of the haredim. It’s a match made in heaven.

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