Poll casts doubt on Orthodox arguments against conscription

A Tel Aviv University poll found that a third of Haredi men aged 18-24 are employed, challenging their argument that full dedication to Torah study justifies exemption from military service. Meanwhile, 62.7% believe Haredim should not serve, and 90% prioritize Torah law over state law.

A new Tel Aviv University poll challenges the Orthodox claim that Torah study requires total dedication and justifies exemption from conscription. According to the data, a third of Haredi men aged 18-24 work: 11.2% full-time, 17.1% part-time, and 5.5% as self-employed. Researchers note that these figures contradict the argument for full dedication to study. Meanwhile, 62.7% of respondents believe Haredim should not serve in the army, and 90% prioritize Torah law over state law. Only 1.4% fully support drafting Haredim. The poll also found that 66.3% of Haredi voters would vote according to rabbinical instructions, even for an undesirable party, and 65.9% would defer to a rabbi's opinion over a doctor's in medical matters. The study was conducted by a group of sociologists led by Mina Tzemach from the Midgam group, commissioned by the Institute for the Study of Israel and Judaism. A total of 404 Israelis who identify as Orthodox were surveyed, with a statistical margin of error of 4.9%. Professor Uviya Shavit noted that within one generation, with state support, a population that served in the army produced a generation that mostly does not serve.