An urgent asifa was held by Gedolei Yisroel for Roshei Yeshiva and Rabbonim in southern Eretz Yisroel, to raise awareness about recent tactics involving various seemingly innocent job opportunities being advertised to bochurim and avreichim. These opportunities are often presented as positions in fields such as computer programming, engineering, high tech, and other professional areas, with offers of training, salary, benefits, and exemptions from regular army duties.
The event, which was arranged by Ezram Umaginam, was addressed by Gedolei Roshei Yeshivos and Rabbonim. They explained that these “seemingly innocent” job opportunities are often presented under new names, such as “Kodkod” and “Ma’aleh Tzur,” and are advertised as programs that do not require participants to comply with standard army protocol, such as wearing a uniform or staying on an army base overnight.
The Rabbonim warned that this can mislead an innocent bochur or avreich who is looking to earn an honest living. He may believe he is joining a professional training or employment program, only to later discover that he has effectively enlisted in the IDF and is subject to its rules and regulations. Once inside the system, he can be transferred to different units and pressured to compromise his Yiddishkeit. Most seriously, they said, this creates a breach in the barriers that have been placed between the olam haTorah and the IDF, endangering the entire olam haTorah.
The asifa was addressed by Chavrei Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah and Chachmei HaTorah of Degel HaTorah and Shas, including Hagaon Rav Eliezer Piltz, Rav Aryeh Levy, Rav Yehoshua Eichenstein, Rav Chaim Feinstein, Rav Shmuel Betzalel, and others. Strong letters were also written by Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, Rav Dov Landau, Rav Moshe Sternbuch, and Rav Meir Tzvi Bergman.
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