re: #350 Feline Emperor of the Conservative Waste

Israeli law grants exemption from military service if you can prove that you’re engaging in religious studies. It was amended by the Tal Law (expires 7/2012), but the Israeli Supreme Court ruled that it violated the equal protection provisions under Israel’s Basic Law for Human Dignity and Freedom. The law will be allowed to sunset - it can’t be reauthorized by the Knesset. The Knesset is considering how to expand service to the community.

The idea of the religious exemption dates back to Ben Gurion’s decision to grant the exemption to religious students. But with the demographics shifting (the Orthodox are growing at a faster pace than non Orthodox), it’s putting additional pressure on the secular community to achieve the obligations of service. Proponents think that bringing the orthodox into military service will spread the burdens, increase assimilation into Israeli society, and help the orthodox gain valuable skills (presently, the orthodox make up a major portion of welfare costs).