Israel’s government plans to pass a bill that anchors the value of Torah study in a quasi-constitutional Basic Law, in order to preserve a law exempting ultra-Orthodox men from military service.
The legislation defining Torah study as a “core state value” is expected to be brought to the Knesset for a vote during the parliament’s winter session, which begins in October.
The bill is aimed at preventing the Supreme Court, sitting as the High Court of Justice, from striking down a proposed law that would regulate the drafting of haredi men into the army and exempt the vast majority from service.
The two ultra-Orthodox parties—Shas and United Torah Judaism—together account for 18 seats in the 64-member government coalition. They conditioned their joining the coalition on the passage of an “override clause” as part of the government’s planned judicial reforms.
Such a clause, which could be used for the haredi draft issue, would enable the Knesset to re-legislate laws if the High Court strikes them down.
With the override clause now not expected to be passed into law, the haredi parties have put their hopes behind the bill on Torah study.
