Crises in Chabad: Hundreds of Yeshiva Bachurim to be Forcefully Enlisted in the Army

Drama in Chabad. The Rabbi of the Chabad Kehilla in Chaifa, The Goan Reb Gedalyahu Axelrod, publicized a strong letter tonight against the draft under the headlines: ”Yeshivot of Chabad in danger.”
He claims that around 300 bachurim of Chabad yeshivot in Israel are in danger of being forcibly drafted immediately. The Rabbi also attacked askanim in Chabad and declared that if there is a need Chabad Chassdim must go out and protest.
In the past there was an agreement with the IDF in which Chabad bachurim were able to leave the country in order to learn for a year in 770 in “kvutze”. When the Tal Law was annulled- this agreement was also annulled. It seems that they have now learned that the army intends to immediately draft each bachur when he returns to Israel. This matter has riled up the Rabanim of Chabad.
Hadrei Hareidim has learned that a number of central Roshei Yeshivos in Chabad are weighing whether or not to instruct Chabad Chassidim who serve in the IDF to go AWOL until the topic is worked out.
Rav Axelrod wrote, “that certain askanim have met with the IDF and have reached a problematic agreement which has brought about the expectation that the bachurim of the “kvutzos” of 5774 and 5775 and more being forcibly drafted.
It is well known that the Lubavitcher Rebbe said that yeshiva bachurim who are drafted damage the security of the State of Israel, in addition to the spiritual danger of a yeshiva bachur encounters in the army.
Therefore it is necessary for the Rabanim and Roshei Yeshiva of Chabad to gather and decided that Chabad Bachurim must not be set apart from the rest of the yeshiva bachurim.
And if there is need for hafganot, Chabad Chassidim in their thousands will go out to overturn the decree.
It seems that there is apathy and weakness here, and who knows if there is even worse than that. And since we are speaking about the continued existence of the yeshivot the time has come to wake up and do something. “

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!