Israel: One Chareidi Woman Protest Outside Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv

On Monday morning, a Lubavitcher woman launched a one-person protest outside the Israeli Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv. The woman, who we will call N, is protesting the arrest of her husband.

The woman’s presence prompted many people to stop and sympathize with her, particularly because she is near the end of her pregnancy. She told passersby that her husband was arrested and has been imprisoned for four months.

Seven years ago, the young man had decided for his own personal reasons to enlist in the IDF. He completed the process and had an induction date. However, on that day he was in 770.

Upon his return home he checked with family to ascertain if he received any calls or mail from the IDF. 

The response was that he did not. He contacted IDF officials and was told his induction would be in about a half year and that he would be notified of the exact date. Time passed but nothing happened. At some point he lost his motivation, feeling the IDF simply does not want him. He forgot about the induction and got on with his life. He soon thereafter became a chosson and got married.

He has since been abroad numerous times without difficulty. One who has an induction date set is not permitted out of the country and would generally be flagged at the airport when one tries leaving the country. 

Not being stopped at the airport is taken as a sign that all is well with the IDF.

Some time ago he arrived at the police station in his area to report an accident. He was informed that he is absent without leave from the IDF and placed under arrest.

His wife reports that life has been hellish since his arrest and they hired the best attorney they could find but to date, all the money and effort have not yielded any results. He remains in a military prison for over four months. N cries as she explains he did everything possible to get in, but they would not take him. 

He has been in prison since the summer and N fears he will be in jail when their child is born. N and her husband insist he is not AWOL but IDF officials report he has been AWOL for seven years, adding he failed to make contact with the correct military officials.

Askan Rav Chaim Aaron Yosefi and Migdal HaEmek Chief Rabbi Yitzchok Dovid Grossman are both personally involved. Kikar Shabbat reports at present, all of those involved are pessimistic regarding the young father-to-be’s release at any time in the near future.

The Yeshiva World