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An impending crisis over enlisting Haredi men into the Israeli army is jeopardizing Israel's government and dividing the nation.

Public opinion on the matter has undergone a sea change in Israel following two years of conflict, and this is now arguably the most volatile political challenge facing Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Judicial Battle

Politicians are currently considering a draft bill to terminate the special status given to Haredi students enrolled in yeshiva learning, created when the the nation was founded in 1948.

The deferment was struck down by Israel's High Court of Justice almost 20 years ago. Temporary arrangements to continue it were finally concluded by the judiciary last year, compelling the cabinet to commence conscription of the community.

Some 24,000 call-up papers were sent out last year, but merely about 1,200 ultra-Orthodox - or Haredi - draftees reported for duty, according to military testimony given to lawmakers.

Strains Spill Into Violence

Friction is spilling onto the city centers, with parliamentarians now deliberating a new conscription law to force ultra-Orthodox men into army duty together with other Israeli Jews.

Two Haredi politicians were harassed this month by radical elements, who are furious with parliament's discussion of the proposed law.

And last week, a specialized force had to extract army police who were surrounded by a sizeable mob of ultra-Orthodox protesters as they tried to arrest a man avoiding service.

These arrests have prompted the establishment of a new communication network dubbed "Emergency Alert" to rapidly disseminate information through ultra-Orthodox communities and mobilize demonstrators to block enforcement from taking place.

"We're a Jewish country," said one protester. "One cannot oppose Judaism in a Jewish country. That is untenable."

An Environment Apart

However the changes affecting Israel have not yet breached the confines of the Kisse Rahamim yeshiva in a Haredi stronghold, an ultra-Orthodox city on the outskirts of Tel Aviv.

Inside the classroom, scholars learn in partnerships to analyze Judaism's religious laws, their distinctive school notebooks standing out against the seats of light-colored shirts and traditional skullcaps.

"Arrive late at night, and you will see a significant portion are studying Torah," the head of the seminary, the spiritual guide, noted. "By studying Torah, we protect the military personnel on the front lines. This is our army."

Haredi Jews maintain that unceasing devotion and spiritual pursuit defend Israel's military, and are as vital to its defense as its tanks and air force. This tenet was endorsed by Israel's politicians in the past, Rabbi Mazuz said, but he admitted that public attitudes are shifting.

Increasing Public Pressure

This religious sector has more than doubled its proportion of Israel's population over the last seventy years, and now constitutes 14%. What began as an exemption for several hundred yeshiva attendees turned into, by the start of the 2023 war, a group of tens of thousands of men left out of the national service.

Opinion polls show backing for drafting the Haredim is growing. A poll in July found that a large majority of secular and traditional Jews - encompassing almost three-quarters in his own coalition allies - backed sanctions for those who ignored a draft order, with a firm majority in favor of removing privileges, travel documents, or the franchise.

"It makes me feel there are people who reside in this nation without contributing," one serviceman in Tel Aviv explained.

"I don't think, however religious you are, [it] should be an excuse not to go and serve your nation," added a Tel Aviv resident. "If you're born here, I find it quite ridiculous that you want to exempt yourself just to learn in a yeshiva all day."

Perspectives from Inside the Community

Advocacy of broadening conscription is also coming from traditional Jews outside the Haredi community, like a Bnei Brak inhabitant, who lives near the academy and highlights non-Haredi religious Jews who do perform national service while also maintaining their faith.

"It makes me angry that the Haredim don't serve in the army," she said. "This creates inequality. I am also committed to the Torah, but there's a proverb in Jewish tradition - 'Safra and Saifa' – it signifies the scripture and the defense together. This is the correct approach, until the arrival of peace."

She manages a local tribute in her city to soldiers from the area, both observant and non-observant, who were killed in battle. Rows of faces {