 | By Anonymous
November 27, 2010 | Share |
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/26/AR201011...
It is a stunning call to upend a tradition ingrained for generations: Most devoutly religious men in Israel study the Bible instead of entering the work force or doing military service that is compulsory for others, relying on payments from the state.
Amsalem's view - that work and integrating into mainstream society are necessary for the insular ultra-Orthodox community to progress and emerge from considerable poverty - has become the talk of the country in recent days. It has turned the previously unknown backbencher into a darling of the secular media and won him thousands of immediate supporters from across the political spectrum.
Another break in the wall!
Yoni1
28 November, 2010 - 13:14
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"Most devoutly religious men in Israel study the Bible instead of entering the work force or doing military service"
Err ... this is highly inaccurate. Even most ultra-orthodox men, while ducking military service like parasites and cowards, end up working in this that or t'other sector, from running grocery shops to money-changing to diamond polishing to acting as thugs, sorry, able-bodied security guards for various outfits.
On the other hand, patrotic orthodox Jews serve in elite IDF units in their thousands, and in other combat and non-combat units in their tens of thousands.