Ha'aretz reports:
In an effort to boost the number of ultra-Orthodox men in the workforce, the Finance Ministry is proposing an exemption from mandatory military service for married yeshiva students over the age of 23 who have a minimum of two children.…
That's right. If haredim can get married and have two children by age 24, they're home free.
While this may put more haredim in the workforce, which is the aim of this proposal, more than likely it will mean more haredi babies. Why? Because Lithuanian haredim now marry relatively later than Yerushalmi and hasidic haredim, who marry at 17 or 18. But, with this new law in effect, the incentive will be for Lithuanian haredim to marry three of four years earlier. Their birthrate will increase as a result, increasing the over all number of haredim and making the demographics released last week even worse. This horrendous proposal will also gut the already paltry number of haredim who do serve in the IDF.
Israel's National Religious, Modern Orthodox and Secular population will continue to pay with blood while haredim get off free.
May God help us.