Israel now stands at a crossroads, facing one of the most perilous internal challenges in its history. Reserve forces, once the backbone of Israel’s defense, are stretched to breaking, drained by exhaustion.
The economy is reeling, and the home front bears scars that will shape the national psyche for generations. Amid this existential struggle, the fastest-growing demographic of Israeli society remains conspicuously absent from the national burden.
This is not merely an issue of fairness. It is a ticking time bomb. Societies that divide responsibilities starkly risk fracturing beyond repair.
For decades, defenders of the haredi exemption from military service have leaned on the argument that Torah study and acts of chesed replace military service; these contributions are equally vital.
Institutions and the myriad gemachim (communal sharing) that provide vital support for families are held up as proof of the community’s generosity. The outpouring of aid and kindness after the October 7 massacre is cited as evidence of a community that gives in its own way.
Torah study undoubtedly elevates the soul of Israel. Yet without a secure state, without soldiers standing guard, the very foundation that allows Torah to flourish becomes precarious. An undefended country is a country without a future, no matter how pure the intentions of its leaders.
Chesed (kindness) is indeed a pillar of Jewish life, inspiring and essential. But it is not a currency with which one can barter national defense or civic duty. The idea that national responsibility can be outsourced to others is fundamentally flawed.
Recent data from the Israel Democracy Institute and the Central Bureau of Statistics sheds light on the real picture: the volunteering gap between haredim and other sectors is narrower than commonly believed, with haredi volunteering only about 7% higher.
Haredi contributions don't compare to the rest of Israeli society
These hours are typically fewer than ten per month and cannot compare to the thousands of demanding hours and life-risking situations that every soldier in uniform endures. Fighting on the front lines, standing in reserve, leaving behind careers and families, these sacrifices are the true backbone of Israeli security.
The harsh truth is that the haredi community’s public image of generosity rests on the shoulders of a small, exceptionally committed minority. The majority neither serve in the army nor engage in large-scale national volunteerism. Institutional encouragement for participation outside the community is minimal. Much of the chesed that exists is inward-facing, addressing poverty and social needs created in part by policies that discourage army service and workforce integration.
This is not national solidarity; it is an insular ecosystem sustained at the expense of the broader society.
Meanwhile, the rest of Israel shoulders the most fundamental mitzvah of all, preserving human life. Mandatory service spans nearly three years for men, followed by decades of reserve duty.
Hesder soldiers serve close to a year and a half while balancing yeshiva study. Combat soldiers risk their physical safety, mental health, and future prospects. Mobilizations disrupt families, businesses, and communities. This is not charity; it is the foundation of Israel’s very existence.
This imbalance is not a minor flaw but a structural fault line threatening to split the nation.
Infantry cannot be replaced with kindness, intelligence analysts cannot be swapped for gemachim, and a few hours of volunteering each month do not carry the weight of years of military service and reserve duty.
Israel is running dangerously low on soldiers and manpower. Families are stretched thin by wave after wave of mobilization, while a growing segment insists the burden is not theirs to bear.
The economic implications compound the crisis.
The Bank of Israel has repeatedly demonstrated that haredi households are net recipients, drawing significantly more from the national budget in subsidies, welfare, and sectoral allocations than they contribute to taxes.
This is a failure of a system that channels young men away from basic education and into lifelong financial dependence. A modern, thriving economy cannot endure when its fastest-growing population refuses to join the workforce or the army, relying instead on the broader society to sustain its growth.
Demographic trends accelerate the urgency. The haredi population is expanding faster than any other sector and is projected to represent a substantial share of Israel within a few decades.
Without fundamental reforms in military service, education, and employment, the entire social and economic system risks collapse.
This is not ideological rhetoric; it is arithmetic. A society cannot survive when a large segment avoids defense, evades taxes, shirks reserve duty, and depends on others to uphold its internal infrastructure.
There is also a moral imperative at stake that must be stated plainly. Military service is the cornerstone upon which all other acts of kindness depend. Israel does not need more gemachim; it needs soldiers, analysts, medics, programmers, and reservists who stand steadfast when the country faces danger.
If the haredi community refuses to change course, the consequences will be profound and national in scope. Young men are locked out of meaningful employment, families are entrenched in poverty, and the community is growing more isolated and vulnerable. The breaking point is already close.
Israel cannot sustain a permanent system where one segment fights, pays, bleeds, and carries the entire national weight while another insists that prayers and occasional volunteering are an adequate substitute.
If the haredim do not begin sharing the national burden soon, the rupture will not only be political but a fracture in the social fabric of the country, threatening our very existence.
Dr. Michael J. Salamon is a psychologist specializing in trauma and abuse and director of ADC Psychological Services in Netanya and Hewlett, NY.
Louis Libin is an expert in military strategies, wireless innovation, emergency communications, and cybersecurity.