Let's Talk About the Haridi Problem
Here is a thought exercise: Imagine 10,000 or 20,000 or 30,000 reservists that had already done 300 days of reserve duty, refused to show up, and explicitly stated that the reason was that Haredim are refusing to share the burden of military service. Or imagine virtually no women conscripts showed up. Would the government punish them by arresting them? They would arrest a tiny handful but ignore the rest (as they do with Haredim)? Would it reward them by paying for their post high school studies (as they reward charedim)? Would it subsidize their child care (as they do with charedim)? There is something wrong with the charedi worldview that talks about "clal yisrael" when it wants the benefits of citizenship, but fights tooth and nail to avoid sharing the burdens of citizenship. And there is something wrong with a coalition system that for decades - whether led by Likud or Labour - let this unfairness fester.
What can be done about the Haridi problem?
What can be done about the Haridi problem?
