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Anti-Zionist Haredi Group Prepares for Third Temple: Establishes Study Program for Third Temple

Herod's Temple as imagined in the Holyland Model of Jerusalem. It is currently situated adjacent to the Shrine of the Book exhibit at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem (wikipedia)

Israel Jerusalem Jewish Temple Mount

In a remarkable development that highlights the complex relationship between religious belief and political ideology within Orthodox Judaism, the Toldos Aharon chassidic movement has established a specialized study program for Jewish priests (kohanim) to prepare for Temple service, despite the group’s well-known anti-Zionist stance.

Toldos Aharon represents one of the most insular and conservative streams within Haredi Judaism. The chassidic group is characterized by its extreme conservatism and fervent opposition to Zionism, typically rejecting the legitimacy of the modern State of Israel and maintaining strict separation from Israeli society and institutions.

This ideological position makes their recent initiative all the more striking. Under the leadership of the Toldos Aharon Rebbe, Rav Dovid Kohn—himself a kohen—the movement has launched a kollel (study program) exclusively dedicated to learning the intricate laws governing Temple service.

The Rebbe’s decision stems from his belief that current world events signal the approaching arrival of the Moshiach (Messiah). “We clearly see that we’re at the time of Ikvesa d’Meshicha (the final stage of redemption) and the third Beis Hamikdash (Temple) will be built soon in our days,” the Rebbe recently declared, using the Hebrew term for the “footsteps of the Messiah.”

Ultra Orthodox Jews of the chassidic dynasty of ‘Toldos Aharon” take part in a ceremony in Meah Shearim, Jerusalem, on June 12, 2025. 

His reasoning reflects a practical theological concern: “What will the Moshiach think when he appears to redeem Am Yisrael and he won’t have a team of Kohanim ready for their service in the Beis Hamikdash?”

The program operates from 4:40 a.m. to 7:00 a.m., with participants receiving a monthly stipend of $500 to study the complex laws of Temple service until the arrival of the Messiah.

The Paradox of Anti-Zionist Temple Preparation

This initiative presents a fascinating paradox within Orthodox Jewish thought. While Toldos Aharon categorically rejects Zionism and the current State of Israel, they are actively preparing for the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem—the very city that serves as Israel’s capital.

This apparent contradiction reflects a fundamental theological distinction within anti-Zionist Haredi thought: they oppose human efforts to establish Jewish sovereignty before the arrival of the Messiah, but they simultaneously prepare for the divine restoration that they believe will come through messianic intervention, not human political action.

Toldos Aharon’s kollel is not an isolated phenomenon. Several other organizations have launched similar initiatives in recent years, though typically from pro-Zionist or neutral perspectives:

The Temple Institute, founded in 1987, established both a school for kohanim in 2016 and a registry of qualified priests four months earlier. Their program requires participants to have clear priestly lineage, be born and raised in Israel, and maintain the laws of ritual purity incumbent upon priests.

Additionally, the Kehuna Academy, launched five years ago by Rabbis Amichai Cohen and Peretz Rivkin, offers online education for kohanim preparing for Temple service. This initiative echoes historical precedent: until his death in 1933, the renowned Rabbi Yisrael Meir HaKohen Kagan (the Chofetz Chaim) oversaw a similar learning program in Poland.

As part of the Temple Institute, Jewish priests prefrom a Passover Sacrifice ‘practice’ ceremony at Davidson Center in Jerusalem Old City, on March 26, 2018. The Temple Institute is dedicated to every aspect of the Biblical commandment to build the Temple on Mount Moriah (the Temple Mount) in Jerusalem.

Modern science has provided remarkable validation for the preservation of the priestly lineage. Over 98% of Jewish men who identify as kohanim share a specific genetic marker, providing scientific evidence for the integrity of the patrilineal priestly heritage that has been maintained over nearly 2,000 years since the destruction of the Second Temple.

This genetic continuity, combined with the careful preservation of priestly genealogies within Jewish communities, has led to speculation that modern kohanim could indeed serve in a rebuilt Temple, despite the nearly two-millennium gap in practical Temple service.

The Toldos Aharon initiative raises profound questions about the intersection of religious preparation and political ideology within Judaism. While the group maintains its opposition to the current State of Israel, their active preparation for Temple service suggests a complex theological framework that distinguishes between human political endeavors and divine messianic fulfillment.

This development may signal a shift in how some anti-Zionist groups approach the question of Jewish sovereignty and Temple restoration, maintaining their political opposition while simultaneously preparing for what they view as inevitable divine intervention.

The establishment of this kollel represents more than just religious study—it embodies the enduring tension between messianic hope and political reality that continues to shape Orthodox Jewish thought in the modern era.

https://israel365news.com/410099/anti-zionist-haredi-group-prepares-for-third-temple-establishes-study-program-for-third-temple/?

 

 

Here's a list of notable Jewish messiah claimants:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Jewish_messiah_claimants

HaRav Yitzchak Breitowitz - "The Tragedy, Sin & Destruction Caused By The Orthodox Rabbis Under Pressure Of Losing Their Jobs Or Worse" - "Converting" Gentiles With No Intentions Of Keeping The Mitzvos - "They Are Not Jews" - From 10 Minutes To 19 Minutes In!

AT JEFF BEZOS' WEDDING FRIDAY NIGHT VENICE ITALY

SHABBOS TUG SHPATZIR  NUCH DER CHOLENT

THIS $HEIGETZ WILL DO ANYTHING TO KEEP HIS JOB

"Satmarniks, Agudaniks, Yeshivaniks, lend me your hats; We came to bury Cuomo, not to praise him" - Enter Zohran Kwame Mamdani: If Cuomo tried to regulate your Purim party, Mamdani wants to cancel your homeland.

 

The Orthodox world thought they fought their battle with the state during COVID. They burned masks, blocked buses, rallied on 13th Avenue. But that was just about public health policy. This is about the erasure of their identity.

 

Remember when Orthodox Jews in New York thought Andrew Cuomo was the worst thing to hit their neighborhoods since Bloomberg’s soda ban? Back then, Cuomo was the overreaching tyrant who dared to shut down synagogues while keeping liquor stores open. He was the guy who sent inspectors to religious schools but let riots go unchecked. In Williamsburg and Boro Park, he became the face of state-sanctioned hypocrisy, the man who tried to teach Jews how to daven six feet apart while he packed his Emmy shelf and harassed half the women in Albany.

But Cuomo was just the warm-up act.

Enter Zohran Kwame Mamdani, the Democratic Socialist from Astoria — the one-man wrecking ball of everything Orthodox Jews hold dear. If Cuomo tried to regulate your Purim party, Mamdani wants to cancel your homeland. If Cuomo was a nuisance, Mamdani is an ideological crusader on a mission to “liberate” Palestinians by throwing Israel — and the Jews who support it — under your bus, separated by shower curtains.

Cuomo may have closed synagogues. Mamdani wants to close your voice, your values, and your Zionism.

Let’s be clear: Zohran Mamdani is not your typical New York liberal. He’s not just some progressive who wants bike lanes and rent control. No — he’s the poster boy for a new wave of anti-Zionist orthodoxy where Jews are tolerated only if they apologize for existing as a people with a state. He’s proud to back BDS, calls Israel apartheid, and has no problem standing with fringe Jewish groups who think the IDF is worse than Hamas.

And he’s not in a Tel Aviv café shouting into a megaphone — he’s in the New York State Assembly, shaping discourse, rallying young voters, and signaling to your kids that supporting Israel is a sin, but smashing capitalism is a mitzvah.

The Orthodox world thought they fought their battle with the state during COVID. They burned masks, blocked buses, rallied on 13th Avenue. But that was just about public health policy. This is about the erasure of their identity.

 

 

Mamdani doesn’t care how many Holocaust survivors live in Midwood. He doesn’t care about rockets on Sderot. To him, Israel is a settler-colonial project and Jewish safety is negotiable. The Jewish story, as far as he’s concerned, needs to be retold — minus the part where Jews fought for survival in their ancestral homeland.

What’s worse? He doesn’t need your vote. He doesn’t want your vote. And he’s not scared of your rabbis, your press releases, or your donor dinners.

Orthodox leaders thought they had seen hostility before. They’ve dealt with tone-deaf bureaucrats, smug liberals, and yes, even self-hating Jews. But Mamdani is a different breed: young, charismatic, and utterly indifferent to Jewish outrage. If anything, Orthodox opposition boosts his street cred.

So now what? You tried working within the system. You backed Eric Adams. You got photo ops with Hochul. But the Zohrans of the world aren’t running to make friends — they’re running to replace you.

If Cuomo was a battle, Mamdani is a war — not on religion, but on the legitimacy of your place in progressive America. A war where the line between anti-Zionism and antisemitism gets blurrier every day — and no one on the Left seems to care.

Orthodox Jews in New York once rallied against a governor who locked their doors.

 

 

Now they face a movement that wants to erase their voice.

And if they don’t wake up fast, Zohran Mamdani will be just the beginning.

Good Shabbos Comrades. 

https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/satmars-agudaniks-yeshivaniks-lend-me-your-hats/

Germany to Israel: "You're doing what needs to be done, but we'd rather not be seen doing it ourselves."

 

In a recent and widely noted statement, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz declared that “Israel is doing the dirty work for all of us”—a phrase that instantly triggered debate across Europe and the Middle East. While intended as a form of solidarity with Israel in its ongoing war against Hamas and regional threats, Merz's language raises deep moral, political, and historical questions about Europe's role in the Middle East and the ethics of outsourcing war, responsibility, and justice.

Germany's relationship with Israel is unlike any other nation's, rooted in the unspeakable crimes of the Holocaust and the enduring moral debt Germany owes to the Jewish people. When a German leader speaks of Israel engaging in “dirty work,” it echoes uncomfortably with historical overtones. Merz may have meant that Israel is confronting terrorism and radicalism on behalf of the democratic world. But the phrasing risks portraying Israel as a subcontractor of Western interests—doing morally compromising or violent tasks while others look away.

The irony is striking: Germany, which once perpetrated genocide against Jews, now praises Jews for conducting brutal warfare that Germans feel too conflicted or politically paralyzed to endorse or undertake themselves. In the name of moral support, Merz inadvertently offloads moral ambiguity onto Israel—saying, in effect, "You're doing what needs to be done, but we'd rather not be seen doing it ourselves."

The term “dirty work” is morally loaded. It suggests violence, compromise, actions taken in shadow rather than daylight. In the context of Israel’s military campaign—particularly in Gaza, where thousands of civilians have died—calling it “dirty work” implicitly acknowledges the controversial, even unsavory, nature of the tactics used. If Israel is acting in ways that violate international norms, the West cannot simply applaud from the sidelines while absolving itself of complicity.

Merz’s framing shifts responsibility away from Europe. It allows European leaders to enjoy the strategic benefits of a weakened Hamas or a deterred Iran without confronting their own populations with the bloody consequences of such a campaign. It is a dangerous moral outsourcing: Israel takes the bullets, draws the protests, absorbs the UN resolutions—while Europe maintains a cleaner image.

From a purely realpolitik perspective, Merz’s statement isn’t entirely inaccurate. Israel is on the front lines of a broader struggle against Iran’s regional proxies, militant jihadism, and anti-Western extremism. Many European capitals prefer not to get directly entangled in the region’s chaos. But realpolitik does not excuse moral cowardice. If Europe truly sees Israel’s war as a defense of Western civilization, then it should stand beside Israel not just in words but in shared accountability, humanitarian concern, and post-conflict rebuilding. Instead, Merz’s words reflect a strategy of convenient distance. 

 Instead of framing Israel as the West’s attack dog, Europe should engage more directly in conflict resolution, support diplomatic solutions, and be willing to bear the moral and political costs of its own security doctrine.

Chancellor Merz’s comment was likely meant as praise. But in calling Israel’s actions “dirty work,” he unintentionally admitted what many Western leaders try to hide: they are comfortable letting Israel wage morally fraught wars so long as it keeps European capitals safe. It is a revealing moment of ethical evasion—a statement that tries to express solidarity, but instead exposes the deep imbalance in how the West views war, allies, and its own responsibility.

If the West believes the war is just, then it must also own it. If the war is unjust, it must not be silently condoned. Either way, the phrase “dirty work” is no compliment. It is a confession.

https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/germany-to-israel-thanks-for-doing-our-dirty-work/

"Thank You, Mr. Trump – A Note of Gratitude From a Jewish Never-Trumper

I never thought I’d say this, Mr. Trump — and please don’t let it go to your head — but today, I owe you thanks.

I didn’t vote for you. I protested you. I laughed at your spelling, cried at your cruelty, and screamed into the void when you “truth’d” about disinfectant cures. I watched you hug flags, butcher Bible verses and sell Trump bibles, and confuse Iran with Iraq with a map upside-down. I am, proudly, a card-carrying member of the “Never Trump” tribe — mezuzah on the door, and more than a dozen op-eds about why you were dangerous.

But today, I write with a rare and uncomfortable feeling: gratitude.

Because despite your vanity, your Twitter tantrums, your golf obsession, and your strange love letters to dictators — you bombed Iran.

And not for ratings (maybe). Not for oil (we hope). Not even because Mark Levin told you to (okay, maybe a little). But because, at the eleventh hour, with pressure from every direction, you did what needed to be done.

You saw a threat. You recognized the moment. You made the call.

You bombed the regime that funds terror from Damascus to Gaza, from Hezbollah tunnels to Houthi drones. You struck the architects of death who chant “Death to America” while building centrifuges and exporting explosives. You did what others only warned about. You sent a message — not in Hebrew, not in Arabic, but in the universal language of action: "Not on our watch."

And yes, I think about escalation. I fear what comes next. But for one surreal moment, I watched as the world’s most unpredictable man did the most predictable, necessary thing: he defended Israel, the West, and the principle that tyrants don’t get to act without consequence.

So thank you, Mr. Trump.

You’re still the man who cozied up to racists, sabotaged democracy, and made a mockery of decency. I still oppose almost everything you stand for. But even a bleached blonde broken clock — can be right once in a while.

And today, from one very stubborn Jewish never-Trumper: you were right.

Let the record show — in between the chaos and the narcissism — for one moment, you bombed the right bad guys.

Just… please don’t sing and do the ridiculous Trump dance about it at your next rally. Do me a personal favor (if you seek more praise from me), please make Tucker Carlson the US Ambassador to Tehran.

Thanks.

Paul Mendlowitz aka The Unorthodox, Orthodox Jew 

PS:
Now back to fighting you on everything else.

We have received your email.  Thank you for sharing your thoughts with President Donald J. Trump. The willingness of the American people to stay informed is essential to our enduring democracy.  Please know that President Trump will never stop fighting for the citizens of our great Nation! For additional information about President Trump’s policy initiatives or current events at the White House, please visit www.WhiteHouse.gov.

 

 

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 https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/a-note-of-gratitude-from-a-jewish-never-trumper/

Mazel Tov! Be Back Soon....

Why Trump Is Delaying Joining the Iran-Israel War

Because This War, Like Everything Else, Has to Be About Him

In the combustible theater of Middle East politics, where allies demand loyalty and enemies rarely wait their turn, Donald Trump is—unsurprisingly—taking his time. The Iran-Israel war is escalating, rockets are flying, and the world is anxiously watching. But Trump, ever the narcissistic maestro of timing and optics, is hesitating. Not because he’s weighing strategy, nor out of some newfound humility in foreign policy. He’s stalling because he didn’t script the opening act—and that, in Trump’s world, is an unforgivable breach.

This isn’t about Iran. It’s not about Israel. It’s certainly not about preventing another regional catastrophe.

 This is about Trump. As always.

Trump lives in a universe where appearances reign supreme and history is written in gold-plated Sharpie. His hesitation to “join” the Iran-Israel war—whether symbolically, militarily, or rhetorically—stems from one inescapable fact: he wasn’t asked. Prime Minister Netanyahu, with his own bruised ego and cornered leadership, made a bold move by launching or escalating hostilities without seeking Trump’s blessing. For Trump, that’s the geopolitical equivalent of skipping his name in the credits. Unacceptable.

Worse, Bibi has committed the cardinal sin in Trump’s book: making a move that might succeed without giving Trump a starring role. So now, Trump must reposition himself. Not as a latecomer, not as a backup dancer—but as the savior, the rescuer of Israel, the greatest winner of all time. He must rewrite the narrative, with himself as the alpha and omega of any solution.

Trump is not interested in aiding Israel unless Israel becomes the distressed damsel, desperate for a knight in a red tie. That way, when he steps in—be it through a dramatic press conference, a unilateral “deal,” or a surgical airstrike—he is seen as the indispensable stable genius who ended the war, saved the Jews, and brought peace to the region. All without a hair out of place.

Every moment of hesitation isn’t indecision—it’s orchestration. He is waiting for Israel to cry uncle. For Bibi to admit he needs help. For the media to turn to Trump with pleading eyes: “What would you do, Mr. President?” Only then will he lower himself from his self-built pedestal and offer salvation. Not a minute sooner.

Let’s be clear: Trump’s calculus is never ideological. He doesn’t care who fired first, what red lines were crossed, or how many lives hang in the balance. What he cares about is how it looks—on Fox News, on Truth Social, in Mar-a-Lago dining halls. He cannot risk being seen as reactive. He must be proactive, prophetic even. The man who knew how to handle Iran, who would have stopped this, who can end it if begged.

And if Israel suffers in the meantime? Collateral damage. Just more material for the eventual monologue.

Trump is delaying not out of caution, but out of craving—for the applause, the headlines, the worship. He must emerge as the man who saved Israel despite Israel’s own missteps.

This war will not be real to Trump until it’s also his show. Until then, he will posture, tweet, hint, and hover. But he will not commit—because commitment requires risk, and Trump doesn’t risk without a guarantee that he’ll come out the winner.

As always, it’s not about the war.  It’s about the spotlight.

 

REPUBLISHED IN THE TIMES OF ISRAEL

https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/why-trump-is-delaying-joining-the-iran-israel-war/

Trump on the Israel-Iran War — “Nobody Knows Who Fired Who” -“It Was a Beautiful Bomb, Very Clean”

 

“Look, it’s a very complicated situation. Very, very complicated. Some say Iran fired first. Some say Israel. Some say it was a rogue cloud. Nobody really knows. But I know. Because I have the best instincts — maybe better than anyone. A lot of people are saying that.”

Yes, in true Trumpian fashion, the Israel-Iran war — a geopolitical crisis decades in the making — has become just another episode in the reality show of The Trump Presidency: International Edition. As missiles fly, cities burn, and world leaders panic, Trump is busy doing what he does best: declaring victory in a war he doesn’t understand.

Trump, of course, takes credit for everything and responsibility for nothing. When asked about the rising death toll and regional chaos, he responded:
“Frankly, if I were president in 2008 instead of Hussein Obama, there’d be no war. There’d be big, beautiful peace. I’d have Netanyahu and the Ayatollah playing golf together. I have great golf courses. The best. Iran wanted to build one, I said no — sanctions. Tremendous sanctions.”

Asked whether pulling out of the Iran deal helped lead to this conflict, Trump waved it off:
“The Iran Deal? Terrible. Worst deal. I tore it up. People said ‘Sir, don’t do it!’ But I did. And now look — everyone’s talking about me again. I brought attention back to the Middle East. It was being ignored before. You’re welcome.”

Reporters asked Trump who actually fired the first shot:
“Well, listen — people are saying it was Israel. Some say Iran. Some say Hamas. Frankly, some say it was Hunter Biden. Can’t rule it out. But when I was president, I never left in 2020, CNN is fake news, I kept everything very stable. There was peace — except for the small wars. Very tiny. Like snack-sized wars. No one even remembers them.”

He then added:
“If I were still in the White House, oops, I am in the White House, this never would’ve happened. Iran would’ve begged me for a deal. Begged. On their knees. I would’ve given them nothing. That’s the art of the deal, baby.”

Trump, the great “neutral negotiator,” claimed he was uniquely qualified to broker peace.

“I’ve got great relationships with everyone. I’m very close with Bibi — I call him that because we’re friends. He’s got a strong handshake, maybe too strong. Iran, on the other hand, not so friendly. But I once sold them steaks — true story. They loved it. Trump Steaks — they only glowed a little.”

He paused, looked thoughtful, then added:
“I might host a peace summit at Mar-a-Lago. Israel, Iran, and maybe Kanye. Just to keep it interesting.”

Ultimately, Trump’s take on the war — like everything else — boiled down to ratings.
“When I was president since 2017 --- uninterrupted --- until 2030, I have the best heart and the best body ever, the Middle East was always in the news — people couldn’t get enough of me.  And everyone’s talking about me again. So, in many ways, I’ve already won. The real war? It’s for the spotlight.”

While missiles rain down and the region braces for escalation, Trump remains focused on the important things: photo ops, imaginary peace deals, and who’s talking about him on Fox News. As he once said:
“War is confusing. Very confusing. Nobody knows who fired who. But I fired Comey. Remember that? Big moment.”

I think Alfred Bernhard Nobel was a Jew - Tell them I'm against antisemitism (most of the time), my daughter eats kosher, on Yom Kippur.

 

REPUBLISHED IN THE TIMES OF ISRAEL

 

https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/it-was-a-beautiful-bomb-very-clean/

Klal Yisroel eagerly looks forward to the arrival of this group of shnorrers in time of war at home, as Israel burns and people are being bombed to death!

DONATE TO UNITED HATZALAH:https://israelrescue.org/campaign/operation-rising-lion/?

 

“Our Torah learning protects the soldiers.” Yes, it’s the learning—not the tanks, not the air force, not the intelligence units—that keeps the rockets from falling. Someone tell Iron Dome to stop showing off."

די כעלמער חכמים 

בא לעיר

 

 

 DONATE TO UNITED HATZALAH:https://israelrescue.org/campaign/operation-rising-lion/?

 

 

“Sacrifices of the Saints: A Tribute to Haredi Heroism in Wartime”

A MESSAGE FROM AGUDAS YISROEL OF AMERICA

Israel has launched a major military action against Iran, designed to disable the Iranian nuclear threat. Iranian retaliation is expected. Rachmana litzlan! As we all understand, these are extraordinary times. Let us gather together in our batei knesios, batei medrashos, and homes to pour out our hearts in fervent tefila to the Shomer Yisroel that He protect the yoshvei Eretz Yisroel and all of Klal Yisroel from the evil designs of our enemies. And, as the footsteps of Moshiach get louder and louder, let us recall our mandate to be metzapim lyshua, yearning for the ultimate redemption, may the Go'el Tzedek arrive speedily in our days!

Ah, the Haredim. Israel’s spiritual backbone. The true warriors in black and white. While the rest of the nation scrambles into bomb shelters, watches their children draft into combat, and wonders whether they’ll come home in one piece, the Haredi community is engaged in a far more harrowing battle: dodging national responsibility.

Let us take a moment to appreciate their courage—the courage to do absolutely nothing in a time of crisis. While soldiers sleep on rocky ground in Gaza, Haredi yeshiva students valiantly battle sleep over a gemara, in heated debates about the precise definition of pikuach nefesh (saving a life)—as long as it’s their own.

In times of war, the country is supposed to come together. But the Haredim know better. Why unify when you can spiritualize? While sirens wail, they heroically declare, “Our Torah learning protects the soldiers.” Yes, it’s the learning—not the tanks, not the air force, not the intelligence units—that keeps the rockets from falling. Someone tell Iron Dome to stop showing off.

Meanwhile, Israeli mothers cry as they send their sons to the front. Haredi rabbis cry too—as they craft yet another public letter reminding their followers to stay far, far away from any hint of national service. Their sacrifice? The unbearable agony of watching others risk their lives for the country that feeds, houses, and protects them.

And what about their contribution to the war effort? Excellent question. They contribute prayers—though only for themselves. And they contribute opinions—usually about how the secular government should be replaced by a Torah-based theocracy where, surprise surprise, they hold all the power and none of the draft cards.

But perhaps the real tragedy is how misunderstood they are. All they want is to be left alone, receive generous stipends, dodge taxes, get married at 18, and have ten children—all while never lifting a finger to defend the country they claim to love. Is that so wrong?

After all, in their eyes, war is punishment for Zionist arrogance. If only we were more like them—unemployed, unaccountable, and blissfully ignorant—God might finally bless us with peace.

So let us salute these brave heroes of the back benches. As missiles fall and soldiers bleed, they march boldly… to the nearest bakery. A cinnamon rugelach and a shir shel yom await—far more comforting than a helmet and rifle.

 

REPUBLISHED IN THE TIMES OF ISRAEL

 

https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/a-tribute-to-haredi-heroism-in-wartime/

 

 

For seven months, Haredi yeshiva students who served in "Gdud Tuvia" (Tuvia’s Battalion) proved that Torah study and IDF service could go hand in hand. Rare documents describe the profound reflections of those who viewed their military service as a sacred mission.

 

The Haredi Soldiers Who Served in Israel’s War of Independence

 

For seven months, Haredi yeshiva students who served in "Gdud Tuvia" (Tuvia’s Battalion) proved that Torah study and IDF service could go hand in hand. Rare documents describe the profound reflections of those who viewed their military service as a sacred mission.

History of IsraelIDFWar of Independence

A group of Haredi recruits during training. Photo: Fred Csasznik, IDF and Defense Establishment Archives

These were the enlistment numbers for Haredi Yeshiva students shortly after the establishment of the State of Israel. 270 received medical exemptions. 260 received exemptions on spiritual grounds. The rest, under directives given by leading rabbis, enlisted in the struggle to defend the fledgling state in its War of Independence. This enlistment was the result of an agreement between the yeshivas and the IDF enlistment offices: outstanding students would be exempted, and the conditions of enlistment would allow recruits from the yeshivas to continue studying Torah during their military service.

 

Agudat Yisrael (a Haredi political party) calls on Haredi men aged 17-25 to report to the IDF enlistment offices, December 1947, the Pevzner Collection, the National Library of Israel

It was Tuvia Bier, a former Haganah member, who gathered the young Haredi recruits and gave them a home – a new battalion for yeshiva students. Bier was so dedicated to these soldiers that the battalion was later named Gdud Tuvia (Tuvia’s Battalion) after him. For seven months, the yeshiva students worked on setting up and strengthening fortifications in bombarded Jerusalem, simply because there was no time to provide proper training in anything else. They weren’t sent to the front lines because they hadn’t learned to operate firearms and also because of concerns that the world of Torah study would be destroyed if they were to perish in battle.

They worked one-to-two days a week on fortifications and spent the rest of their time studying Torah. They did most of their work at night, both for security reasons and to avoid disrupting their study routines at yeshiva.

The battalion was active for seven months before being disbanded. Many praised it, but many others mocked the focus on fortification work, which they perceived as a means to avoid combat service. People commended the Haredi soldiers’ willingness to sacrifice their lives for the defense of their homeland. Still, some wondered whether the work carried out by the battalion truly justified the disruptions in Torah study.

But what was going through the soldiers’ heads? How did they view their service? Did they believe in the righteousness of the path they had taken?

The Fortress

Like many other military units, the soldiers of Gdud Tuvia produced their own magazine. They called it Hamivtzar (“The Fortress”), since fortifications accounted for the majority of their work. In total, they managed to produce two issues, which were each copied and distributed among the battalion’s soldiers, providing them a platform where they could read, study, and even express themselves. The two issues of Hamivtzar are preserved in the IDF and Defense Establishment Archives, and they offer us insight into what the soldiers were thinking and feeling at the time.

The cover of Issue No. 2 of Hamivtzar (“The Fortress”), 1948. Courtesy of the IDF and Defense Establishment Archives.

The Dilemma

The soldiers from the yeshivas struggled with the question of their enlistment. It is as true today as it was back then. Was it right for them to serve in the army? Is it appropriate for yeshiva students to set aside the study of Torah for the sake of fortifying Jerusalem?

This question was asked in print in Hamivtzar, by a writer who identified himself as “M.S.”:

“Despite all the doubts, despite all the questions burning through every yeshiva student’s mind: Is this even my duty at all? Am I obligated to serve in any role in the war effort beyond my usual role as a yeshiva student, which is no less crucial than any other military role? Moreover, am I allowed to, even momentarily, leave the beit midrash, the spiritual fortress of the Torah of Israel that protects us in every generation?”

One page after this, the answer appears:

“This is the duty of every Jew in general, and our duty as yeshiva students in particular. We are the next link of the golden chain of the Torah of Israel, in action and deed. We are pulling the chariot of the people up a treacherous slope towards the pinnacle of the hoped-for redemption. We are the ones! This is our contemporary duty!”

A group of Haredi recruits during training. Photo: IDF and Defense Establishment Archives

How irreconcilable was this tension?

Throughout all the texts in Hamivtzar, the yeshiva students emphasize that despite the mission they have now undertaken, they will never for a moment forget their primary task – to study the Torah. This is reiterated in the editorial section of the first issue ofHamivtzar.

“Our role so far has been fortification works, and indeed it is not an easy task. We require significant activity and heightened dedication, and at times, even significant risk, to fulfill this duty… However, precisely because of the importance and value of this task, we must not forget the essence, that the task imposed upon us should never lead us to neglect our primary role, which is the study and observance of the commandments of the Torah.”

The answer to the dilemma is not definitive. Some of the writers viewed their military service as a mission, even a necessary step in the redemption of Israel. Others were content with doing what needed to be done under the circumstances. Some of them fulfilled their missions mainly because “the rabbis instructed it.”

We’ll conclude this chapter with some moving words written by a certain “Mordechai”, under the title Sh’ma Yisrael [“Hear Ye, O Israel”], who viewed IDF service not only as a temporary necessity but as a true mission.

“Students of Torah, dwellers of the beit midrash, oarsmen in the sea of Talmud, a tribe of priests whose generous spirit led them to take part in our liberation struggle, these are the anointed priests who must bring the word of God into the Israeli military camp. You are soldiers of Hashem, you must raise your voice on high, to restore the pure faith in the Eternal One of Israel who will not disappoint. For your eyes have seen what He has done for us when we stood few against many – many soldiers and many weapons – and we saw His greatness and wonders, it is upon you to illuminate with the light of your Torah the hearts of our soldiers who dedicate their lives for the sanctity of the nation and homeland.”

What Next?

On the surface, the pilot program of Gdud Tuvia seems to have been a failure. Ever since, those opposed to the enlistment of Haredi Jews in the IDF have had the upper hand. Even today, decades later, the debate over the enlistment of yeshiva students remains heated and volatile. Just as it was back then.

But did the project truly fail? To a large extent, the ideas of Gdud Tuvia have served as the foundation for the Hesder Yeshiva-military service programs and IDF units like Netzah Yehuda that are operational today. Perhaps the battalion’s principles can still be implemented in one form or another in future programs as well. “Dad didn’t grasp the enormity of the historical moment in real time; he simply did what he did because he thought it was the right thing to do,” recounts Kobi Bier, son of Tuvia, the commander of the yeshiva student battalion. “I think with a bit of goodwill, we can resolve the intense debate over the enlistment of Haredi Jews by using this model. We can set a certain percentage of outstanding Torah students, grant them exemptions, and we can find suitable solutions for the rest. I understand the concerns, but just as we saw with Gdud Tuvia, solutions can always be found. There’s no need to fear this.”

Tuvia Bier, commander of the yeshiva student battalion

Further Reading (Hebrew):https://www.inn.co.il/news/555721

 

https://blog.nli.org.il/en/haredi_soldiers/

Israel’s Haredi problem is not the Haredim themselves. It is the unwillingness of the state to demand that every citizen—secular, religious, or ultra-Orthodox—carry the yoke of nationhood together.

 You cannot run a First World country with Third World participation. 

The solution is not to abandon the Haredim or to marginalize them - This is political gangsterism hiding behind a black hat

Israel is being hollowed out from within—not by Hezbollah or Hamas, but by a growing faction of its own people: the Haredim. What began as a small community of Holocaust survivors clinging to their traditions has morphed into a politically powerful, economically dependent, and willfully irresponsible subculture that rejects the very idea of shared national responsibility. This is not an issue of religious freedom—it is a matter of national survival.

The Haredi population, currently about 13–15% of Israeli society, is growing rapidly due to high birth rates. Projections suggest they could constitute 25% or more of the population within a generation. Yet, most Haredi men do not serve in the IDF, do not participate meaningfully in the labor force, and depend disproportionately on state subsidies while refusing to teach basic subjects like math, English, and civics in their schools.

This creates a simple, unsustainable equation: fewer citizens carrying the burden of more dependents who do not share in national defense or economic productivity.

Haredi political parties wield disproportionate influence in Israel’s coalition system. They use this leverage to secure billions in funding for their institutions, protect draft exemptions, and block reforms to education and military service. Successive Israeli prime ministers—from Ben-Gurion to Netanyahu—have empowered these factions in exchange for political stability.

But stability built on appeasement has a cost: it weakens national unity, undermines rule of law, and alienates the secular and national-religious majority.

The claim that Torah study protects Israel like the army does is nonsense article of faith in the Haredi world. But faith alone cannot staff a hospital, defend a border, or build an economy.

No God-fearing Jew should believe that prayer exempts responsibility for action. Rambam (Maimonides) clearly stated that Torah scholars must not shirk civic duty or demand that the public support them unless they are truly exceptional. The blanket exemption of tens of thousands of able-bodied men is not supported by halakhic sources—it is a modern political fiction.

Israel’s high-tech economy thrives on education, innovation, and global integration. The Haredi community largely rejects all three. With low employment rates among men, a refusal to teach core curriculum, and a mindset of isolation from the broader world, the community is locking itself—and the country—into a dangerous future of poverty, dependence, and resentment.

The solution is not to abandon the Haredim or to marginalize them. It is to demand reform—real, enforceable, and fair. Mandatory National or Civil Service for all, including Haredi men.Core Curriculum Requirements in all schools receiving state funds.Gradual Reduction of Subsidies to encourage workforce participation. Inclusion, Not Isolation—creating pathways for Haredim to enter society without sacrificing faith.

Israel must ask itself: can it afford to have a growing minority that refuses the responsibilities of citizenship while enjoying its privileges? Can it remain a democracy if one group is allowed to operate outside its civic framework?This is not about hating religion or disrespecting Torah. This is about building a sustainable, ethical, and united Jewish state.The time has come to say: enough. Not with anger, but with clarity. The burden of sacrifice must be shared. The future of Israel depends on it.

The Haredi man who studies Talmud all day while his secular brother patrols the Gaza border is not a holy martyr—he is a draft-dodger cloaked in sanctimony. The yeshiva student who refuses to work, collect job skills, or pay taxes is not preserving Judaism—he is leeching off of it. Let’s be clear: the Haredi leadership is not interested in “coexistence.” It is interested in control.

Through decades of backroom coalition deals, Haredi parties have siphoned billions into their institutions while demanding ever more exemptions and special treatment. This is not religious accommodation—it is extortion.They hold the government hostage, threaten to bring it down if anyone dares suggest their sons should wear a uniform or learn algebra, and shout “persecution” anytime accountability is demanded. This is not Judaism. It is political gangsterism hiding behind a black hat. Haredim are the fastest-growing demographic in Israel. 

They marry young, have large families, and are trained to reject the modern world. Within two generations, they could become a quarter or more of Israel’s population. If today’s trends continue, Israel will be a state where a secular, overtaxed, overburdened minority works, serves, and dies to support a fundamentalist majority that sees them as spiritually inferior.You cannot run a First World country with Third World participation. 

You cannot win wars when a third of your men won’t fight. You cannot maintain democracy when a rising population doesn’t even believe in it.The claim that “Torah protects” is spiritual gaslighting. Nowhere in the Torah does it say you are exempt from defending your people. Rambam warned explicitly that anyone who avoids labor and lives off charity under the guise of piety “profanes the name of God.” The generation that fought in 1948 built the State of Israel with their hands and guns—while also learning Torah. 

Today's Haredi leaders insult those heroes by teaching their students that personal holiness outweighs national duty. That is not Torah. It is cowardice in religious garb.

Israel must stop begging the Haredim to join the nation and start demanding it. No more blanket draft exemptions .No more public money for schools that refuse to teach math, science, and civics. No more subsidies for men who refuse to work.

 No more fear of rabbinic blackmail.This is not religious persecution. It is national preservation.

* 

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REPUBLISHED IN THE TIMES OF ISRAEL

 

 

https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/first-world-country-with-third-world-people/

What Goes On in The The Ultra-Orthodox Community (Haredi-Tremblers) - When A Child Is Raped And The Rabbis Are Asked To Help - Support The Brave Ms. Fletcher - Buy Her Book And Know!

Where The Police Are Forbidden & Rabbis Must Be Contacted!

Ten years ago, her evidence brought a paedophile to justice - now she's telling her story.

She called a rabbi, who is now dead, so we can name him, Rabbi Salomon, who was the mashgiach [spiritual supervisor] at Beth Medrash Govoha [yeshiva in New Jersey] – so one of the most senior rabbis of his generation. He very much "blamed me for tempting him, but no-one was surprised.” 

 

Jewish scholar Todros Grynhaus abused Yehudis Fletcher when she was a teenager living under his roof in Prestwich. In her new memoir Chutzpah, she explores her faith, sexuality, and her decision to stay in the Orthodox Jewish community

 

Matisyahu Salomon

Mashgiach ruchani of Beth Medrash Govoha - Covered Up Every Sex Abuse Crime He Could - From The Agudah Convention in 2006 "The Bloggers Should Be Beaten"  until the day he died!

https://www.amazon.com/Chutzpah-memoir-faith-sexuality-daring/dp/0857529951/ref=sr_1_1?

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/ten-years-ago-evidence-brought-31702505#

An Open Letter to Philanthropists Supporting Yeshiva Students Who Do Not Serve in the IDF

 

May 29, 2025

Dear Esteemed Supporters of Torah Learning,

We write to you as concerned members of the broader Jewish community—grateful for your commitment to supporting Torah study, but deeply troubled by a growing imbalance that undermines both our moral fabric and national unity.

For decades, you have extended extraordinary generosity to yeshivas in Israel, empowering thousands of young men to immerse themselves in sacred learning. This is a noble and time-honored cause. However, it is now imperative to recognize that unwavering support without accountability has fostered a system that exempts an entire population from the shared responsibility of national service.

The burden of defending the State of Israel—physically, emotionally, and spiritually—falls disproportionately on those who serve in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and other national service roles. This includes not only secular Israelis but also many religious Zionists, women, and immigrants, all of whom contribute to the collective good while risking their lives.

Meanwhile, a substantial segment of the Haredi community remains exempt from this burden. This is not sustainable, nor is it just.

We respectfully urge you: Do not host or support rabbinic delegations visiting the United States in June 2025 unless their institutions commit to a new standard. Specifically:

At least 50% of eligible yeshiva students should engage in some form of national service—be it military, civilian, medical, educational, or social service—by the end of the 2025-2026 academic year.

This is not a call to weaken Torah. On the contrary—it is a call to strengthen it by reestablishing a Judaism that balances study with sacrifice, rights with responsibilities. A Torah that inspires collective duty will be stronger and more respected by the next generation.

Philanthropy is a powerful force. Your influence can encourage a model of Jewish life that honors both spiritual devotion and civic duty. Let us move together toward a future where Torah scholars are also national contributors, where the yeshiva world is not isolated from the fate of the country, but an integral and respected part of it.

In love for Torah, people, and land,

Paul Mendlowitz

אייר תשפ"ה / מאי 2025

לכבוד תומכי התורה היקרים,

אנו פונים אליכם מתוך הערכה עמוקה למחויבותכם ללימוד תורה ולחיזוק עולם הישיבות בישראל, אך גם מתוך דאגה כנה לחוסר איזון הולך וגובר המאיים על אחדות עמנו ועל ערכיו הבסיסיים.

במשך עשורים רבים, נדבתם בנדיבות רבה למוסדות תורה בארץ, ואפשרתם לאלפי תלמידים להקדיש את חייהם ללימוד. זהו מעשה נשגב וראוי לשבח. אולם כיום עלינו להכיר באמת כואבת: תמיכה ללא תנאים יצרה מערכת שלמה המאפשרת לחלק גדול מן הציבור להשתמט מהחובה הלאומית המוטלת על כולנו — שירות למען הכלל.

הנטל של הגנה על מדינת ישראל — בנפש, בגוף וברוח — מונח כמעט כולו על כתפיהם של המשרתים בצה"ל ובשירות לאומי, מכל המגזרים: חילוניים, דתיים-לאומיים, עולים חדשים, נשים. הם נושאים בעול — תרתי משמע — תוך סכנת חיים. לעומתם, חלקים רחבים בציבור החרדי ממשיכים להשתמט.

ומה אומר הרמב"ם?

במשנה תורה, הלכות מלכים ומלחמות (פרק ז, הלכה ד), כותב הרמב"ם:

"במלחמת מצוה... הכל יוצאין, אפילו חתן מחדרו וכלה מחופתה."

הרמב"ם אינו משאיר מקום לספק — במצב של סכנה לקיום האומה, אין פטור. לא לתלמידי חכמים, לא לעוסקים בתורה, לא לאיש ולא לאישה. מדינת ישראל, המוקפת אויבים ונלחמת על קיומה, נמצאת במצב של מלחמת מצוה מתמדת.

אמנם במקום אחר (הלכות שמיטה ויובל, פרק יג, הלכה יג), הרמב"ם משבח את מי שמקדיש עצמו לעבודת ה' בלבד, אך הוא אינו קובע שזו סיבה להשתמט מהגנה על העם בשעת סכנה. קדושה אמיתית כוללת גם אחריות ציבורית.

קריאה למעשׂה

מתוך אהבה לתורה ומתוך דאגה לעתיד העם והארץ, אנו פונים אליכם בקריאה ברורה:

אל תתמכו באירוח של משלחות רבנים מחו"ל ביוני 2025 אלא אם כן ישיבותיהם מתחייבות כי לפחות 50% מהתלמידים ייטלו חלק כלשהו בשירות לאומי או אזרחי — עד סוף שנת הלימודים תשפ"ו.

אין זו קריאה להחלשת התורה — אלא לחיזוקה. אנו מאמינים בתורה המחברת בין לימוד למסירות נפש, בין זכויות לחובות, בין קדושה לערבות הדדית. תורה כזו תעמוד איתן בפני אתגרי הדור ותהיה למגדלור מוסרי לעם כולו.

לתמיכתכם יש השפעה עצומה. בידיכם הכוח להוביל שינוי — לעצב דור של תלמידי חכמים שאינם רק לומדים, אלא גם משרתים, מגינים ותורמים. הגיע הזמן לשוב לאיזון הראוי בין רוח לחומר, בין קודש לחול, בין תורה לאחריות לאומית.

בברכה ובאהבה לתורה, לעם ולארץ

שרגא פייוועל מענדלאוויטץ

 *

 VISITING RABBIS & ITINERARY

• HaGaon Rav Dov Landau shlit”a, Rosh Yeshivas Slabodka

• HaGaon Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch shlit”a, Rosh Yeshivas Slabodka

• HaGaon Rav Yaakov Hillel shlit”a, Rosh Yeshivas Ahavas Shalom

• The Sanzer Rebbe shlit”a

• HaGaon Rav Avraham Nissim Salim shlit”a, Rosh Yeshivas Me’or HaTalmud

• The Rachmastrivker Rebbe shlit”a

• HaGaon Rav Dovid Cohen shlit”a, Rosh Yeshivas Chevron

• HaGaon Rav Shimon Galai shlit”a

Tentative Itinerary

Sunday, June 15: Baltimore

Sunday night, June 15: Monsey

Monday, June 16: Los Angeles

Tuesday/Wednesday, June 17–18: Lakewood

Thursday, June 19: Brooklyn

Friday/Shabbos June 20–21: Monsey

Sunday, June 22: Deal, NJ

Monday, June 23: Toronto

Tuesday, June 24: Five Towns

 

 PUBLISHED IN THE TIMES OF ISRAEL: 

 

 

https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/to-all-philanthropists-supporting-yeshiva-students-who-do-not-serve-in-the-idf/

https://trinitymedia.ai/player/share/ddff51ce84054100a0246a78e2fb16f9bb77