Haredim Should Flee Israel For Russia Over Draft, Haredi Leader Says

"It's getting worse and worse, they want to uproot the yeshivas, we may need to go back to Russia or America…Who knows if escaping at a time like this [might] constitute a physical rescue? Iran is threatening us with bombs; Egypt's President said that in a few years there will be no State of Israel! Yeshivas should run back to Russia! This is no laughing matter! Or at least to America. Things are far from laughing! Oy yeshivas! Oy yeshivas!"

Rabbi Meshulam Dovid Soloveitchik

Haredim Should Flee Israel For Russia Over Draft, Haredi Leader Says
Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com
   
The head of a Brisk yeshiva in Jerusalem warns that haredim may have to flee Israel if the haredi draft really takes place, Behadrei Haredim reports.

"It's getting worse and worse, they want to uproot the yeshivas, we may need to go back to Russia or America," Rabbi Meshulam Dovid Soloveitchik told his students.

Soloveitchik is also the president of Edah Haredit, the Mea Shearim-based haredi umbrella organization, which is staging a large anti-draft demonstration tomorrow night.

Soloveitchik explained why he and others left Russia 73 years ago.

“Our flight was not [because of] physical [things  – i.e., physical violence, etc.]. It was because in Russia we had to send the children to [secular] school, and we were not allowed to study Torah, and therefore we ran [from there] and put ourselves in real physical danger [in order to keep the children out of those secular schools]!…Seemingly now the situation is the same as well. They want to close the yeshivas, cutting of funding - meaning no more yeshivas,” Soloveitchik said.

Soloveitchik went on to repeat the urban legend of haredi yeshiva students being forced to let female doctors examine them for their army induction physical.

"One of the boys said he wanted a male doctor and not a female doctor, and they asked him why? He replied that his teachers told him so. They said to him: 'This is the Army, you're in the army, and the army has orders! Forget the rabbis - Rabbi's, oh Rabbis! Here is an army!’ And they detained [the yeshiva students] for six hours! They wanted to pray Mincha and they did not let them, claiming that in middle of testing you cannot pray Mincha! Who's there? Female soldiers and not male soldiers! This is truly close to the yeshivas and uprooting the entire Torah.…

"Who knows if escaping at a time like this [might] constitute a physical rescue? Iran is threatening us with bombs; Egypt's President said that in a few years there will be no State of Israel! Yeshivas should run back to Russia! This is no laughing matter! Or at least to America. Things are far from laughing! Oy yeshivas! Oy yeshivas!

"First they started with the Talmudei Torah [haredi primary schools and secondary schools] with [‘forcing them to teach the country’s] ‘core curriculum,’ and I think they wanted to uproot the Talmudei Torah and now they want to uproot the yeshivas! It is getting worse and worse. We need to think very seriously about the escape from here, and who knows if it was not for the better, if this is also not saving us physically, too ... such a tzara [distress, woe, sorrow]!" Soloveitchik said.

He also said that haredim need to start a new organization to fight budget cuts to haredi yeshivas and the haredi draft, suggesting that organization should be modeled on Atra Kadisha, the notorious haredi organization that fights against ‘desecration’ of graves caused by construction of roads and buildings.

Atra Kadisha often riots and uses vandalism to try to achieve its goals, but it was also linked to threats against archaeologists and police.

[Ht Tip: Burich.]

Comments

[SML]

Russia, yes - fine - all of them - but not America, please.

[Rocky]

Please, not America. We already have enough Haredi here collecting welfare benefits. If they want to return to Mother Russia, let them go. But I don't think the Russians would want them either.

[Ben]

"cutting of funding - meaning no more yeshivas,” Soloveitchik said.

He admits that Haredi propaganda telling eveyone that Yeshivas are self sustaining and self funding is a lie.

[Abracadabra]

Yes, go to Russia! What a fantastic idea! Why didn't I think of it? Because I'm not a Gadol, of course. They should listen to this Gadol pronouncement and be mekayeim this with zrizus!

Russia is a great idea because they LOVE Jews in Russia. They love Jews there SO much that for decades Russia didn't let them leave. The Russians just couldn't bear to lose their Jews.

But whatever they do, they should NOT go to America. They could totally wipe out the welfare system in America.

The Gadol must have been talking about going to SOUTH America. I'm sure South American Catholics will welcome them to join their already poor countries. And in South America there isn't as much internet access. They could probably find a big chunk of land with no internet wiring runing through it at all! And the South Americans would NEVER desecrate their graves there! Perfect. It would be even better than Russia!

Do they need help packing? We can organize a Gamach.

[jancsibacsi]

There is no question in my mind theese rebbes are tottaly cut off from reality they real world they have no idea what this world is about,they are so hypntized with their own importance that they actually think the world has to serve them and they just have to sit on their behind and learn toireh,evenafter the holocaust they are 100 per cent deluded and are not able to fathom reality,to me toireh diconnected them from normal behaviour and existance what a pity theyjust make things much muchwrose for all yiddin with all their toireh learning.

[Friar Yid]

It's interesting to compare this Soloveitchik with some of his cousins-- besides the well known family of the Rav, there's also the line that led to the new President of Yale, Peter Salovey.

Fascinating to look at three totally different personalities and worldviews branching out from the same family.

[NeverFrum]

I think the seculars should arrange flights to get them to Russia much like the effort to bring Russian Jews to Israel years ago. I would certainly donate generously to such a worthy cause. It might be too late but maybe Israel could still be saved.

[Korbendallas72]

The land is vomiting them out. Speedily and in our days, may the Haredim disappear from the face of the Earth.

[ah-pee-chorus]

are there ANY charedi rabbis in leadership positions who have morals and integrity?
i'm open to answers.

[Eli, what me messiah?]

Finally a wacky Haredi declaration that I can support!!

[John Nagle, Silicon Valley, CA]

Somebody doesn't realize that Russia has a military draft.

[Shmuel]

Iran would welcome them. And they can all badmouth Israel tigether.

[...]

For the record he's not the head of the Edah - nor does he take any government funding.

[David]

"Who knows if escaping at a time like this [might] constitute a physical rescue? Iran is threatening us with bombs; Egypt's President said that in a few years there will be no State of Israel! Yeshivas should run back to Russia! This is no laughing matter! Or at least to America. Things are far from laughing! Oy yeshivas! Oy yeshivas!

If they knew their Halacha they would stay and fight.

[Abracadabra]

are there ANY charedi rabbis in leadership positions who have morals and integrity?
i'm open to answers.

How about "No"? Does "No" suffice as an answer?

[Levi Keller]

A broken clock... he is right:

Israel is in self-destruct mode even without the charedim complicating things for them. The zionist state can only maintain its hegemony over the disenfranchised palestinians for so long. The russian oligarchs have created a relatively stable state rife with navigable corruption, as Berel Lazar can testify. I too would live in Russia over Israel. All I can say is Boruch Hashem those two are not my only options.

[Eli]

Haredim Should Flee Israel For Russia Over Draft, Haredi Leader Says

Nonsense! America is a much better choice. There is no draft here and we have a very well established haredi and Israeli population here.

[seymour]

"Who knows if escaping at a time like this [might] constitute a physical rescue? Iran is threatening us with bombs; Egypt's President said that in a few years there will be no State of Israel!

why then avoid the draft

[Yochanan Lavie]

If they go to Russia (where they love Jews) at least they have the clothing for it.

[Sarek]

Great idea! Going back to Russia, the well-known eternal haven for Jews. I'm right behind you, Reb Soloveitchik. You first.

What is the Hebrew for "bullshit artist"?

[MosheCohen]

Can someone kindly provide a link to a coherent, articulate explanation of the Charedi opposition to being drafted?

I can't understand it....

[...]

The hebrew for bullshit artist is sarek!

[Baruch Shelo Asani Haredi]

And they expect the Russians to allow them to get away with shirking secular studies and dodging military service there? Good luck with that.

[Bas Melech]

The Rav is correct. People should not live in a country, if they do not want to follow its laws.

[Velvel]

What's the point? By now all the cute Russian Shiksas are in Israel.

[Baal_Shem_tov]

Is there a link to donate.....i pledge 5k for the "go back to Russia" foundation. My gosh, i hope this becomes a movement and they all flee. Sweet jesus this would be great news.

[zionist goy]

It does appear that anti haredi fervor in Israel is slowly building to critical mass. If they can't adapt to the idea of the draft and realize that resistance to it is futile, i forsee the type of animosity towards them that has been reserved for the Sudanese. Israel has a substantial elderly population living in poverty (non haredim) from russia. why should these yeshivas and haredi be subsidized like the gimme crowd in the states? don't count on the Haredi leaving Israel for parts elsewhere in substantial numbers.

[ger tzedek]

They should reclaim the Jewish Autonomous Oblast for Judaism: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_Autonomous_Oblast

I'd be more than willing to donate to Haredi self-deportation.

[split]

"we may need to go back to Russia or America" - Yeah right like they really missed you there or anywhere they had a pleasure to bear your parasitic lifestyle and share their land with you ,...

God have a peculiar sense of humor first he gave the zionist imposters a piece of wasteland then He added some black hatted parasitic strays to take care off ;) ,...

[split]

Not so long ago the have been bragging about their 'success' here ; ,...

http://matzav.com/135616-yeshiva-and-kollel-students-in-eretz-yisroel

[split]

ger tzedek ,...

In 1928 the Soviet Union set aside a territory of the size of Belgium for Jewish settlement, officially acknowledged as a Jewish National Territory a first since ancient times (Birobidzhan) The Jews got a land and after less than a decade of its existence as a Republic have failed dismally just like the settlement in Clarion
(Utah) USA couple decades earlier that lasted less than five years before disappearing into oblivion. The Jews have failed where others like Amurians, Chinese, Mormons and other nations before them managed to survive and prosper?,...