Kenneth Glad
Two distinct worlds sit just a short drive apart on the Mediterranean coast. One is a modern metropolis filled with cafes, while the other operates under strict ancient rules. The tension between them has finally reached a boiling point.
Bnei Brak is a densely populated city located just a short drive from Tel Aviv. It is almost exclusively home to ultra-Orthodox Jews, creating a community that operates in a completely different reality from its secular neighbor.
Here, thousands of men spend their days reading religious texts. Local shops only sell basic phones without internet access. The students wear traditional black trousers and white shirts, swaying gently as they memorize ancient scriptures.
That quiet life is now under threat. A military exemption had protected these scholars since Israel was founded in 1948. But a 2024 ruling by the Israeli Supreme Court changed everything. According to Norwegian broadcaster TV 2, the court ended this historic pass because it found the rule to be discriminatory.
Eighteen-year-old Shimon Rozovsky has already received his draft papers. He plans to ignore the summons completely. Because many at his religious school face the exact same threat of arrest, the young student expects to serve a brief jail sentence instead.
A different kind of shield
“We are willing to go to prison,” Rozovsky told TV 2. “We cannot manage without the Torah.”
The teenager dedicates up to 10 hours a day to these texts inside his yeshiva. He strongly believes that this religious study provides a spiritual shield for the nation. His community views this deep devotion as equal to the physical protection offered by soldiers on the battlefield.
Almost all of his classmates face the exact same threat of arrest right now. Still, they know a standard jail sentence is usually only 21 days. That consequence feels far lighter to them than three years of active military duty:
“We believe that the Torah sustains the entire world. Had no one studied it, the world would perish in an instant.”
Growing numbers and families
The ultra-Orthodox community makes up about 14 percent of Israel’s population, and that number is growing at record speed. Having children is considered the very first commandment in their holy book. Menachem Eisbach, a father of eight, hopes to expand his family significantly soon.
“We want at least 18 children,” he explained to TV 2. “We feel it is a great calling.”
He added that his wife actively shares this massive goal. Women in their community are raised to value large families, and they even compete over it.
Eisbach insists that studying scripture is the only path to lasting peace in the region. He views his daily prayers as a global shield that protects people far beyond his own borders:
“We believe that as we grow here in this country and increase our study of the Torah, we will no longer need an army to wage war.”
The secular frustration
Just a short drive away in Tel Aviv, secular teenagers view the situation very differently. Three friends sit at a sunny cafe. They are preparing for their mandatory military service next week. Lena, Yali and Liron think it is deeply unfair that they must carry this heavy burden alone.
“No one asked me if I wanted to, because this is a duty we all have,” eighteen-year-old Yali told TV 2. “When we have to do it, they have to do it too.”
The young women completely reject the idea that religious study acts as a spiritual shield. They point out that soldiers face real physical danger every single day. It feels like a massive double standard. Because of this, the group believes anyone refusing the draft should lose their state benefits.
Recent polling from the Israel Democracy Institute shows that 72 percent of Jewish respondents support drafting the ultra-Orthodox. The debate is now shaking the highest levels of government. As the military searches for new recruits, the divide between these two communities continues to widen.
