Posted on 10/23/23
| News Source: JPost
Since the beginning of the horrific attacks against Israel on October 7, the charedi sector has prioritized supporting the war efforts.
Israel had found itself profoundly divided in the past few years, especially in the few months before the war started. The fact that haredi men are exempted from serving in the army has been generally considered one of the reasons for deepening the rift between different communities in the country.
However, since Operation Swords of Iron began, the narrative has shifted. Videos and photos circulating on social networks now showcase haredi and women actively raising donations of money, food, and other supplies for soldiers. Many participate in volunteer efforts to assist residents of the border communities who have lost their homes. In addition, an unprecedented number of haredi individuals have applied to join the IDF for the war, while others exempt from reserves have requested to serve voluntarily.
The haredi community has a long tradition of volunteering, but their recent involvement has been particularly prominent and widespread.
Tzipi Velas, a haredi hasidic woman from Bnei Brak and the director of "Harmonia" (a pregnancy and birth center), emphasized that the ultra-Orthodox have always been willing to give.
“The haredi people are not volunteering now because someone came and said they don't do anything, but because they know how to give in any situation and at any time, and this is an important value,” she said.
Velas dismissed the notion that they were not committed to their country.
“I fear that when we come out of this trauma, people will go back to perceive us, the ultra-Orthodox, as those who do not give,” she said. “We have such a hard time with this stigma. Many people paint the haredim, like the Arabs, as freebies who don't join the army, but I run a business and work very hard for my money. I pay taxes like everyone else.”