Shortly after the conclusion of a major protest gathering led by dozens of roshei yeshiva, including Rav Dov Landau and Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, thousands from chassidic communities assembled outside the gates of Military Prison 10. The demonstration, headed by prominent chassidishe rabbonim, was aimed at denouncing what they describe as the persecution of the Olam HaTorah in Eretz Yisroel and the imprisonment of yeshiva students for refusing military enlistment.
Speaking at the rally, Rav Moshe Berezovsky, rosh yeshiva of Slonim, addressed government leaders directly: “Why are you in power endangering your lives and persecuting those who learn Torah?! The chareidi public will not break and will not enlist in the army.”
Continuing his remarks, Rav Berezovsky declared: “No force will break us — not prison and not sanctions. I send strength from here to the yeshiva students who are in the military prison — you are heroes, be strong and courageous.”
Participating in the protest outside Prison 10 were representatives and members of major chassidic courts, including Slonim, Central Vizhnitz, Ger, Sanz, and others. Among the rabbonim present were Rav Yisroel Berezovsky of Slonim, Rav Moshe Berezovsky of the Slonim Yeshiva, and Rav Daniel Lieberman, rosh yeshiva of Nezer Yisroel (Ger).
The protests have centered on the recent arrests of seven yeshiva students and kollel avreichim, all jailed solely for continuing to learn Torah rather than enlist. Demonstrators have repeatedly voiced the outcry of the chareidi community against what they call the state’s harassment of lomdei Torah.
This wave of demonstrations marks an unusual and dramatic escalation for the chassidic community. The coordinated strategy for mass protests in cases of yeshiva student arrests was decided approximately two weeks ago at a meeting of admorim in Ma’ale HaChamisha.
The decision was spearheaded and swiftly implemented following the arrest of the Yitzchakov brothers by an apolitical action committee comprised of senior figures from major chassidic courts, including Ger and Vizhnitz. This committee has been mobilizing chassidic communities and admorim’s courts across the country for a series of large-scale, highly visible protests outside Prison 10.
{Matzav.com Israel}
Why did the two protests have ro be separate? Why couldn’t they fo them together as one?
Protests in Israel are usually meaningless. The Israeli government is more worried of protests outside of Israel. Satmar rebbe Ztl knew that and his strategy was to protest in New York. The Israeli government would send agents to beg him to cancel his upcoming rallies. He would postpone the rally for he realized the threat of an upcoming rally was more powerful than just having the rally. A massive rally at today’s anti Israel climate will shake up the Israeli leadership. There is one possible secret answer why all this obsession to draft Chareidim is happpening. It may very well be a Mossad idea. They have stated in the past that showing Chareidim protesting eliminates a lot of Irans animosity of Israel. It’s a major psychological warfare idea.
Although protests outside of Israel might help, protests all over Israel are very powerful. It has been well proven that that’s the only language the resha’im understand. Since Ashkenazim do more protesting, they’re careful not to arrest them.
Here is a direct quote from Brigadier-General Erez Viener as interviewed by Oded Harush:
“Gilon Farchi, along with the organization he established, led the investigation into the activities of the New Israel Fund. Among other goals, they want to infiltrate the army with “progress” – lectures, lecturers, feminist agendas…it’s not that they care about feminism or whatever. They understand that via this issue of feminism – the introduction of women into combat positions and the like – you weaken the spirit…”
And from Efrat Lupo, coordinator of Chotam org for kedushas hamacheneh:
“What the army shows in the meantime is that it’s not prepared to handle God-fearing soldiers – soldiers who are shomrei Torah and mitzvot. They talk the talk, but in reality, they’re only recruiting more and more females into combat situations and they’re only creating more challenges for the men. Instead of helping these men, instead of providing them with a support system…what I understood is that this is something that comes from above….It’s something systematically employed by the IDF, that they deliberately bring in women.”
You’re being there, gives them lots of chizuk. Don’t give up until all of them are released.