Father Waits Outside Military Prison as Yeshiva Bochur Remains Detained Without Court Date

The father of a yeshiva bochur who has been held in military prison for more than a week says his family continues to live with uncertainty and anxiety as they await news of when their son will finally appear before a military court.

Meir Levy, whose son Yosef Levy remains incarcerated, spoke Monday night in an interview with Kol Chai Radio, describing the emotional toll the detention has taken on the family and recounting a recent visit with his son inside the prison.

According to Levy, family members have maintained regular contact with Yosef since his arrest and were recently granted an in-person visit after eight days in custody.

“We met with him, spoke with him, talked together, and strengthened one another. His nephew also came to cheer him up,” Levy said.

The father described the difficult conditions faced by many bnei yeshiva in military detention, saying the environment is far removed from the atmosphere to which they are accustomed.

“There is a lot of shouting, a style that is not suitable for a ben Torah,” he said.

Levy explained that after the initial shock of imprisonment wore off, the detainees have been trying to adapt by maintaining learning schedules and preserving as much normalcy as possible.

“After the initial shock, they try to adjust, learn, and continue their routine as much as they can,” he said, adding that “it is not easy at all.”

Discussing the circumstances of the arrest, Levy said military authorities arrived at the family home with a formal arrest warrant and took his son into custody there.

“They came to him with a proper arrest warrant,” he said.

News of the arrest spread quickly through the community, and within a short time hundreds of bnei yeshiva and avreichim reportedly gathered outside the police station where Yosef was initially being held.

“Within 20 minutes, 500 bochurim and avreichim arrived,” Levy recalled.

The father said he has been spending much of his time near the prison and has become acquainted with the families of other detainees being held there.

According to Levy, the prison population includes Sephardic, Chassidic, and Litvish yeshiva students, all facing similar uncertainty regarding their legal proceedings.

He said the lack of information about when Yosef will appear before a judge has been among the most difficult aspects of the ordeal.

“We are simply waiting,” Levy said, noting that the family still has not been informed when a hearing will take place.

Toward the end of the interview, Levy described the atmosphere of anxiety that now hangs over his household.

He said his wife recently told him, “Every knock on the door makes my heart tremble.”

Levy also called for unity within the chareidi community and expressed gratitude to the organizations, activists, and public officials who have been assisting families of detained bnei yeshiva.

He singled out MK Moshe Abutbul for special appreciation after the Knesset member visited him near the prison to offer support and encouragement.

“It really lifted my spirits,” Levy said.

Abutbul later raised the family’s situation during remarks in the Knesset, where he publicly shared Yosef Levy’s story and offered words of support to the family as they continue waiting for his release.

{Matzav.com}