Credit: By Gary Raynaldo /  Hundreds of Ultra-Orthodox Jews at rally outside the Israeli Consulate at 800 Second Ave / 42nd Street  in Mid-town Manhattan, NY June 21, 2019 protesting ‘forced drafting’ of girls in Israel.

By Gary Raynaldo      DIPLOMATIC TIMES

NEW YORK –  About 300 Ultra-Orthodox Jews rallied outside the Israeli Consulate Friday in Manhattan in response to what they said is an escalation of the  drafting of girls into the Israeli Army. Since 2013,  the Israeli government has instructed its army to ‘do everything in its power’  to increase the enlistment of religious Jewish girls, according to rally organizers, Israel Versus Judaism.  According to IVJ, Jewish religious law forbids Jews from serving in the Israeli Army. For girls especially, the draft is seen as an effort to uproot the religious beliefs and lifestyle of the Jewish Community, IVJ states. Those who are drafted but refuse to serve due to their beliefs are treated “brutally, imprisoned or subjected to other harsh penalties” IVJ states,  adding that peaceful demonstrators, who protest publicly against the  government’s policy, are being met with extreme force, such as horse trampling, water cannons,  and stun grenades, causing bodily injuries to men, women and children.  They say their religious lifestyle is under attack by the military policy. 

Credit: By Gary Raynaldo / Anti-Zionist Orthodox Jews at rally in front of Israeli Consul in Manhattan, NY June 21, 2019.

2,700 Jewish Girls Drafted Into Israeli Army in 2018

DIPLOMATIC TIMES VIDEO /  Speaker at really in Manhattan against drafting of girls into Israeli Army 

Credit: Gary Raynaldo /  Orthodox Jews at rally outside the Israeli Consulate at  800 Second Ave. / 42nd Street  in Mid-town Manhattan, NY June 21, 2019 protesting ‘forced drafting’ of girls in Israel.

Israel is one of roughly a handful of countries to draft women into military service

According to IVJ, the State of Israel is one of only three countries in the world with compulsory army service for women. Many belief the Israeli government’s military policy is a part of an effort by the authorities to force Orthodox Jews to assimilate in the larger society.

“Jews follow the Torah, serve G-d, and are loyal citizens of the countries where thy reside. The Israeli government’s primary motive with the current forced conscription laws is to assimilate religious Jews into their culture and society. As David Ben-Gurion, the first Israeli Prime Minister described the army as the ‘melting pot’ of Israeli society.”

-Rabbi Hershel Klar, an organizer for the NYC demonstration, stated. 

The Rabbi added  that that is reason why “they are putting so much effort into drafting boys and girls. They use the girls to help meet their recruitment quotas. It started a few years ago with a small number of girls they claimed were not actually religious, but now thousands have been drafted (2,700 in 2018 alone)”.

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