Do Not Blame the Child, Blame the Leadership
This week began in a disturbing way in Israel. After the arrest of a Haredi draft dodger, hundreds of ultra-Orthodox protesters gathered outside the Beit Shemesh police station, where some broke into the compound, clashed with police, blocked roads, and set fire to nearby vegetation.
The unrest then spread to Jerusalem, where demonstrators blocked major roads and caused severe traffic disruptions.
Days later, the situation crossed an even more dangerous line when ultra-Orthodox rioters attacked the home of Supreme Court Deputy President Noam Sohlberg, damaging his property and car.
The anger is real. Many Israelis serve, send their children to combat units, and carry the burden of reserve duty while others avoid service. When draft dodging is followed by violent riots, blocked roads, attacks on police, and vandalism against a Supreme Court justice’s home, the public anger explodes. But the problem is not every Haredi Jew. The real problem is the leadership that teaches people that defending the Jewish state is someone else’s burden.
There is a well-known Jewish phrase: “Make for yourself a rabbi.” In the ultra-Orthodox world,........
