ISRAEL (VINnews) — Eighteen leading Charedi Sefardic Rabbanim have signed a letter, rejecting any compromise on the draft of Charedim – regardless of whether they are learning in yeshiva.
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The letter, released Sunday, was signed by Roshei Yeshiva and influential Rabbis associated with the Shas party, including Rav Ovadia Yosef — the son of the Chief Sephardi Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef.
“Compromise will lead to ruination,” said the letter, adding that “we will not be deterred from going to prison” and “give our neshamot bravely and courageously to observe our holy Torah.”
The letter stated that pressures to increase Charedi participation in the military are part of a “malicious plan” to “gather under their control” the Charedi public and “reduce the number of those who observe” the Torah.
The letter also addressed the critical issue of state funding for yeshivas, urging donors to fill the vacuum left by the High Court’s decision to freeze yeshiva funding.
“In this fateful time, part of the measures are to deprive the livelihood of Torah students, to harm them and force them to leave the world of the Torah. We call on donors of our People to fund the yeshivas with all their might.”
The letter clearly appeared to reject a compromise offer by Welfare Minister Yaakov Mergi of Shas, who proposed to honor the draft of Charedim who are not studying in yeshiva in exchange for guaranteeing the exemption of those who are.
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