Jerusalem is bracing for a colossal turnout today as tens of thousands of Ultra-Orthodox Israelis prepare for a massive demonstration. Their aim: to protest government efforts to conscript some of their community into the military. This demonstration is set to exacerbate existing societal divisions in a nation already reeling from two years of intense conflict.
This powerful display of opposition comes at a critical juncture. The Israeli government is actively seeking a delicate legal and political solution to dismantle a decades-old policy that grants most Ultra-Orthodox seminary students automatic exemptions from mandatory military service.
The privilege of exemption has long fueled widespread public anger, a sentiment that has intensified dramatically since the brutal Hamas-led attack on Israel in October 2023, which triggered the ongoing wars in Gaza and Lebanon. These conflicts have claimed the lives of hundreds of soldiers, and tens of thousands of reservists have endured multiple demanding tours of duty.
For most Jewish 18-year-olds in Israel, both men and women, military service is a mandatory civic duty.
Last year, Israel’s Supreme Court delivered a landmark ruling, declaring that there was no legal foundation for these military exemptions. The court mandated that, without new legislation, the army must proceed with drafting Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men.
The military itself has underscored the urgent need for an additional 12,000 soldiers to adequately staff its ranks. Currently, tens of thousands of Ultra-Orthodox men of draft age do not serve.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s political survival has long been intertwined with the crucial support of Ultra-Orthodox parties. His government is currently drafting a new bill designed to partially address the military’s personnel requirements while simultaneously striving to preserve the stability of his right-wing and religiously conservative coalition.
However, critics argue that the proposed legislation falls short, asserting that it would effectively continue to allow most Ultra-Orthodox Israelis to evade conscription. They point to provisions for low enlistment quotas and only minimal, delayed penalties for those who fail to comply.
Leaders of the Ultra-Orthodox community, known in Hebrew as the Haredim, or “those who tremble before God,” have grandly titled today’s event a “march of the million.” They are presenting it as a solemn prayer vigil, emphasizing its spiritual nature over a typical protest.
This major assembly is concentrated around the western entrance to Jerusalem and is anticipated to cause significant disruption throughout the city and surrounding areas. A substantial portion of the main Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway has been closed in both directions, restricted solely to buses transporting demonstrators. Furthermore, the city’s train station, conveniently located near the western entrance, is expected to suspend operations.
The tradition of exempting Haredi seminary students from military service dates back to the very foundation of modern Israel in 1948. This policy was initially established, in part, to help revive the decimated ranks of Torah scholarship following the Holocaust.
At that time, only a few hundred such students existed. Today, however, the Haredim constitute a significant portion—at least 13 percent—of Israel’s total population of 10 million.