Moshe Feiglin outlines controversial defense and draft reforms

The ongoing debate surrounding the military service of ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students has long remained one of the most volatile topics in Israeli politics. Various political factions frequently debate how to integrate the Haredi population into the nation's security apparatus without compromising their traditional lifestyle and continuous Torah study. In a detailed interview with Kikar HaShabbat, former Knesset member and Zehut party leader Moshe Feiglin stepped into this contentious arena with a series of bold proposals designed to radically restructure military recruitment, educational funding, and religious administration in Israel.

Feiglin opened his remarks by sharply criticizing what he described as the cynical exploitation of the draft issue for political leverage. According to Feiglin, mainstream political campaigns often utilize the slogan of Haredi conscription as a tool to attack the religious sector rather than to solve genuine security needs. To resolve this impasse, Feiglin presented a unique draft framework that he claims has received backing from military experts, including General Yitzhak Brik. Under this model, all yeshiva students would undergo a strictly supervised, one-month military training course during the summer break, known as 'bein hazmanim', directly within their yeshiva complexes.

This specialized training program would be conducted under stringent religious standards, completely segregated and without the presence of female personnel, focusing on fundamental combat skills and the operation of long-barreled firearms. Upon completing this intensive month, the students would return to their regular Torah studies at the beginning of the Hebrew month of Elul, while remaining equipped with secure weapons and organized into community defense squads. Feiglin envisions these student units acting as an immediate defensive shield for predominantly Haredi cities and neighborhoods such as Bnei Brak, Elad, and Beitar Illit, thereby enhancing local security while allowing millions of citizens to be spared from exhaustive reserve duties.

Beyond military recruitment, Feiglin addressed the contentious issue of state financial support for the Torah world. Rejecting traditional government budgetary allocations that frequently spark public resentment, Feiglin proposed an alternative economic framework inspired by the Lakewood Jewish community in the United States. Under this decentralized voucher system, the state would step out of the funding equation, allowing individual taxpayers to direct the portion of their municipal property taxes earmarked for cultural and ideological pursuits directly to the institutions of their choice, whether Torah academies or university programs.

Turning to the education sector and the ongoing pressure regarding core curriculum studies, Feiglin expressed staunch opposition to government coercion. He argued that the state has no authority to dictate educational content to Haredi schools, asserting instead a voucher-based model where every student in Israel would receive approximately 3,000 shekels per month. Parents would then possess the autonomy to choose any educational framework without state interference. Through these comprehensive proposals, Feiglin aims to reshape the relationship between the state and the Haredi community, removing political friction and offering pragmatic structural alternatives ahead of the upcoming elections.