Overview

• Aryeh Deri told students last week that they should not consider leaving yeshiva for army service even during the ongoing Gaza war
• He insisted “God forbid” any reconsideration of drafting bnei Torah and reaffirmed that Torah scholars carry the spiritual burden for the Jewish people
• The remarks, aired by i24News, underline Shas’s unwavering defense of haredi exemptions despite Supreme Court rulings and stalled legislation
• No new government policies have been adopted, leaving roughly 80,000 ultra-Orthodox men still exempted from military service
• The IDF reports a shortfall of 12,000 reservists, while just 2,700 chareidi men enlisted last year compared with a target of 4,800