Shirkers not Welcome

August 16, 2007 - 10:10 AM by

There’s been a great deal of talk in Israel lately over the fact that greater and greater numbers of youth are managing to avoid military service. There are websites that provide point-by-point explanations to high schoolers, describing successful methods for being rejected, and older generations of Israelis, for whom avoiding service was never even a consideration, are understandably concerned.

IDF logoThe situation is exacerbated even further by the fact that quite a few of today’s popular singers and actors have chosen not to serve, allowing these young people to believe that not performing military duty is acceptable.

Not anymore. Adi Eldar, the mayor of Carmiel and the chairman of the Israel Local Authorities Union, is working together with other local leaders to push local Independence Day celebration committees not to invite performers who haven’t served in the Israel Defense Forces. These celebrations are often elaborate affairs with a wide variety of performances and other forms of entertainment, and artists are known to do quite well, moving from locality to locality to perform a few songs and take in exorbitant fees for their services.

According to Eldar, “Service in the IDF is a top priority. We cannot accept this luxury, that young people will stand up and decide that they don’t want to pick up a weapon or don’t want to perform this or that activity. It’s required to serve the country for three years, including Haredim. There’s no exemption for anyone.”

Given that so many of today’s youth are so keen on shirking their responsibilities with regard to military service, Eldar’s plan to show them that their role models can be held accountable for their decisions will hopefully steer these kids in the right direction, letting them know that actions have consequences, and that, contrary to what they might think, not serving in the military should not be seen as a proudly worn badge of honor.

Tags: • Category: A New Reality, General, Holidays, Israeliness, Life 

Comments

2 Comments on Shirkers not Welcome

  1. Idan on Thu, Aug 16th 2007 10:49 AM

    2. Yawn. Nobody will care.

  2. David-Joe on Fri, Aug 17th 2007 4:34 AM

    3. People had better start caring – there is no choice.

    The problem begins with the liberal intellectuals that have infested Israel’s academia as much as in the United States.

    It is also the parents that are responsible for not instilling a love for Israel based on why it exists and the right of the Jewish people to the land. The Arabs have no valid claim.

    People are becoming interested more in being fat and lazy.

    Israel is not a country in a normal condition. It is not the United States, but is a nation that stands under existential threat, in a sea of hatred.

    It is mid-east, not the mid-west.

    The war last August exposed deficiencies that many Jews around the world and Israelis found both shocking and alarming.

    Pretending anything else is not recognizing reality.

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