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An impending crisis over enlisting Haredi men into the Israeli army is jeopardizing the governing coalition and splitting the country.

Public opinion on the issue has undergone a sea change in Israel in the wake of two years of war, and this is now perhaps the most explosive political risk facing the Prime Minister.

The Constitutional Struggle

Politicians are reviewing a proposal to abolish the special status given to yeshiva scholars dedicated to full-time religious study, created when the State of Israel was founded in 1948.

That exemption was ruled illegal by the Supreme Court in the early 2000s. Stopgap solutions to maintain it were officially terminated by the judiciary last year, forcing the government to begin drafting the ultra-Orthodox population.

Approximately 24,000 draft notices were sent out last year, but just approximately 1,200 Haredi conscripts enlisted, according to military testimony presented to lawmakers.

Tensions Spill Onto the Streets

Strains are boiling over onto the streets, with elected officials now debating a new conscription law to compel Haredi males into national service together with other Israeli Jews.

Two representatives were targeted this month by some extreme ultra-Orthodox protesters, who are incensed with the Knesset's deliberations of the draft legislation.

Recently, a special Border Police unit had to assist Military Police officers who were surrounded by a big group of ultra-Orthodox protesters as they attempted to detain a suspected draft-evader.

These enforcement actions have prompted the establishment of a new communication network dubbed "Emergency Alert" to rapidly disseminate information through the religious sector and call out protesters to stop detentions from occurring.

"Israel is a Jewish nation," stated one protester. "You can't fight against religious practice in a Jewish state. It is a contradiction."

A Realm Apart

But the transformations sweeping across Israel have not reached the environment of the Kisse Rahamim yeshiva in Bnei Brak, an Haredi enclave on the fringes of Tel Aviv.

Inside the classroom, young students study together to analyze Jewish law, their distinctive school notebooks popping against the rows of formal attire and head coverings.

"Come at one in the morning, and you will see half the guys are engaged in learning," the head of the yeshiva, Rabbi Tzemach Mazuz, explained. "By studying Torah, we protect the military personnel on the front lines. This is how we contribute."

Ultra-Orthodox believe that unceasing devotion and spiritual pursuit guard Israel's armed forces, and are as crucial to its defense as its advanced weaponry. This conviction was endorsed by previous governments in the past, Rabbi Mazuz said, but he admitted that Israel was changing.

Rising Popular Demand

This religious sector has grown substantially its percentage of Israel's population over the since the state's founding, and now represents 14%. What began as an deferment for several hundred yeshiva attendees became, by the onset of the 2023 war, a body of some 60,000 men exempt from the draft.

Opinion polls suggest support for ending the exemption is rising. A poll in July revealed that a large majority of secular and traditional Jews - encompassing almost three-quarters in the Prime Minister's political base - favored sanctions for those who refused a draft order, with a solid consensus in approving removing privileges, the right to travel, or the electoral participation.

"I feel there are people who live in this country without giving anything back," one military member in Tel Aviv explained.

"In my view, no matter how devout, [it] should be an reason not to go and serve your nation," added Gabby. "Being a native, I find it somewhat unreasonable that you want to opt out just to study Torah all day."

Perspectives from Within the Community

Backing for broadening conscription is also found among religious Jews beyond the ultra-Orthodox sector, like Dorit Barak, who resides close to the academy and highlights observant but non-Haredi Jews who do enlist in the army while also studying Torah.

"I am frustrated that this community don't enlist," she said. "This creates inequality. I also believe in the Torah, but there's a proverb in Jewish tradition - 'The Book and the Sword' – it represents the Torah and the guns together. That's the way forward, until the messianic era."

She runs a small memorial in Bnei Brak to local soldiers, both from all backgrounds, who were killed in battle. Long columns of photographs {