Haredim Complain IDF Military Prisons Not Kosher Enough For Haredi Draft Dodgers

The head of the Association for the Welfare of Torani [haredi] Soldiers, Eliyahu Lacks, has reportedly sent a letter to the Office of the State Comptroller complaining that IDF military prisons are not kosher enough for haredim and demanding that the IDF create separate yeshiva prison wings for haredim – or stop arresting haredi draft dodgers altogether.

 

Haredim Complain IDF Military Prisons Not Kosher Enough For Haredi Draft Dodgers
Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com

The head of the Association for the Welfare of Torani [haredi] Soldiers, Eliyahu Lacks, has reportedly sent a letter to the Office of the State Comptroller complaining that IDF military prisons are not kosher enough for haredim and demanding that the IDF create separate yeshiva prison wings for haredim – or stop arresting haredi draft dodgers altogether.

Lacks also asked that a special monitoring committee be established to oversee the treatment of haredim who are inducted into the military – and to oversee the treatment of those haredim who dodge the draft and are imprisoned, as well.

Lacks reportedly claimed that in the civilian prison system “there is equality” in accommodating Orthodox prisoners while in military prisons there is not. Civilian prisons have a yeshiva wing where many Orthodox prisoners are housed. But, Lacks wrote, the IDF does not have yeshiva wings in its military prisons and is therefore treating haredim unequally.

Lacks also reportedly complained that:

• Alleged constant odor from bathrooms stops haredi military prisoners from praying properly.

• Lack of modesty in military prisons also hampers prayer and study.

• Kashrut of the food is not up to haredi standards.

• Television is obtrusive and widespread.

• Shower facilities are immodest.

The IDF Spokesman’s Office rejected Lacks’ claims and insisted the IDF has investigated the allegations raised in Lacks’ letter and has found them to be without merit or basis in fact. It also noted that the IDF’s Orthodox Rabbinate inspects the IDF military prison system.

The State Comptroller’s Office reportedly responded to Lacks’ letter by saying that it will investigate Lacks’ allegations and withhold any comment on them until that investigation is completed.

Comments

[David]

+++• Alleged constant odor from bathrooms stops haredi military prisoners from praying properly.+++

And the B.O. from many Charedim is not a problem?

+++• Lack of modesty in military prisons also hampers prayer and study.+++

The daily mikvah and getting into the tub naked with 200 of your buddies is modest? And how many daven with kavanah anyway? Most are brainwashed and do it on autopilot.

+++• Kashrut of the food is not up to haredi standards.+++

And what new extra-Halachic "standards" are these?

+++• Television is obtrusive and widespread.+++

But watching idolatrous videos of their Rebbes is not a problem?

+++• Shower facilities are immodest.+++

And the morning mikvah isn't?

[Account Deleted]

Very reasonable complaints. Only one solution, join the Army.

[Bas Melech]

Jail is not a hotel.
Guys, don't yeshiva dorms smell too?

The jailed bochurim should regard their stay as a kiruv opportunity.

[Yochanan Lavie]

Boo-frickety-hoo!

[Allan]

They seem very unclear on the concept of prison. Listen guys. it’s SUPPOSED to be a place where you don’t get all the stuff the you want. THAT’S THE POINT. The place is unpleasant because you are being punished. You don’t get to ask for stuff as if you were free citizens who obey the law. Don’t like it? Then follow the law and help defend your country as the Torah itself requires.

[jancsibacsi]

I would put them into a dungeon .

[Sarek]

Not kosher enough? I guess they're serving Hebrew National?

[Jeff]

"I guess they're serving Hebrew National?"

My guess is cholov stam dairy products. Oh, the horror!

[m]

haredi are dishonest . they will always hide behind an excuse , citing 'torah ' law , in this case kashrus , not to do what they are supposed to do . nothing new .

if they belong to a society , they have to comply with mandatory requirements , in this case drafting . that's the least they can do , bc they are getting too much from the country they live in , housing , food , healthcare for free and much more ....

[Alter Kocker]

Solution:
No jail. Chain them to a post in the desert. Come by once in a while with water and food. Give their coordinates to the palestinians.

Problem solved.

[Maskil]

IDF kitchens are worse. They don't meet the standards of one who has the pretence to call himself "Orthodox," or even "keeps kosher."

[Yochanan Lavie]

Maskil: Doesn't it depend on the unit?

[Isa]

The USA had problems with prisoners at Gitmo...

The solution was rubber tube down the throat and start the pump

[Maskil]

Yochanan, only to a degree. Even in the Haredi Nachal units there is often a common commisaery with other Dati soldiers, and kitchens are seldom exclusive to a single unit. The problem is that these people are culturally Orthodox, meaning that they were born into an "Orthodox" family and community, and had an "Orthodox" education,and all (or usually most) of their friends and relatives are Orthodox, but they don't give a shit anfmd don't know how to keep kosher like we (galut Jews) do. You'll find an office with just orthodox employees and clearly marked microwaves for milchig and gleishig, but someone will casually put a cheese knish into a meat Tupperware container and pop it into the dairy microwave, ruining the container and the microwave, and then set it, burning hot, on *any* surface, leaving the surface an unmarked dairy/meat/treif surface. It's unbelievable. In the IDF, unless the kitchen is under lock and key someone who doesn't care *will*ho in and *will* screw it up,and the mashgiach has to act like this did not happen and cannothhappen based on him not having been witness to the crime (it's 30 days in military prison if you fuck with the kitchen in defiance of the mashgiach). But I personally know very well a military mashgiach, and although he's strict, the standards he enforces are lower than those kept by some of my Conservative, non-Sabbath observant relatives. Way, way worse, like it's not really kosher. I get that Sepharadim and makConservative and some ultra-lax Datim use glass between both dairy and meet, but most Ashkenazim have to treat glass like earthenware. But these prole don't have designated surfaces and even decide to treat all earthenware like glass because its glazed, which has to be investigated by each dish individually and I don't know any kosher keeping Conservatives who do shit like that. Short answer: No, it doesn't matter. If you really keep kosher you can't eat cooked food there.

[Boychikel]

If you feed 'em nothing but bread and water, they'll be eating and drinking strictly kosher products. Just make sure the water is boiled and filtered first to get rid of any microscopic life which certain rabbinical fools have claimed makes water unkosher.

[state of disgust]

One solution: Leave the country and give up your Israeli citizenship.
Second solution: Draft Eliyahu Lacks. Give him a mop and tell him to clean the toilets till it meets his desired degree of cleanliness.

[Abracadabra]

The biggest problem is that these guys have it TOO good! They're only spending 10-14 days in jail for failing to report for duty. If they were given 10-14 years with hard labor perhaps it would make them think twice about dodging the draft. As long as Israel keeps coddling the Hareidim, the Hareidim are going to feel entitled. Israel is bringing this on itself.

[(The other) Eli]

ABCD, I could be mistaken, but I think it's 10-14 days until they are required to report again. If they don't, then this whole process repeats itself indefinitely

[Friar Yid]

If the kashrut is really an issue, serve them cold pareve food on glass plates. As for TV, tell them not to look.

Everything else sounds like BS.

[Maskil]

Glass is the same as porcelain according to the majority of Ashkenazi poskim. But if it's cold and Pearce it can be served on any dish. They are, after all, in prison. But, then again, this is Israel, and here the concept of a prisoner's rights is different. Terrorists, murderers, are allowed cellular phones, microwaves, flat screen TVs... access to the kitchen, and of course: early release for bad behavior. So you gotta understand the mindset if the Haredim... there is a semi-justified sense of entitlement.

[Haredi mother]

I am a Haredi mother. I believe that young men who are not learning Torah full time should sign up for the army, and that learners should be exempt.

More opportunities have been opening up for Haredim in the army. Young men who learn would marry, learn a few more years, then sign up in a Haredi unity like Nachal Haredi or Shachar. Some would get a college education. This integration of Haredim into the army was being done in sync with Haredi values, with the support of Chassidic, Litvishe, and Sephardic Rabbanim.

Now, the government is taking a provocative stance towards Haredim. The Tal law, which exempted learners, is no more. Please understand that 18 year old Yeshiva Bochurim simply cannot serve in the army. They really believe that they are commanded to learn Torah full time at this young age.

Please look at the strides that have been made in getting Haredim into the army according to their values, renew the Tal law, and continue integrating Haredim into the army - in line with their values.

[Jeff]

"I believe that young men who are not learning Torah full time should sign up for the army, and that learners should be exempt."

Should an entire population of men be allowed to learn indefinitely and be supported while doing it, regardless of their ability and the consequences to the economy?

"More opportunities have been opening up for Haredim in the army... Now, the government is taking a provocative stance towards Haredim."

Because your leaders spent years doing everything in their power to circumvent the process, including forbidding these young men from enlisting. In numerous cases, those who have enlisted voluntarily have been ostracized from their communities and attacked when they returned home to visit their parents.

"They really believe that they are commanded to learn Torah full time at this young age."

Then perhaps they should no longer be taught to believe that. In any case, it doesn't stop "at this young age"; they believe the requirement continues for the duration of their lives, and that it is the responsibility of the secular Jewish society to support them and their huge families while they do it (then, afterward, the seculars go to gehinnom for their trouble).

There is a huge attitude of entitlement in your world.