Chabad Missions to be Recognized as National Service

The committee charged with increasing national service by hareidi-religious Jews accepted, Tuesday morning, a proposal by Member of Knesset Elazar Stern (Hatenua') to recognize emissaries of the Chabad Lubavitch hasidic movement as doing national service within the framework of yeshiva students providing aid and assistance to Israelis outside the country's borders, subject to certain criteria.

Stern cited Chabad for working on a completely voluntary basis without government recognition. He noted that at any given moment, Chabad sends 250-300 emissaries around the world.