Few issues have generated as much political, social and religious tension in Israel as military service for Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) men.
The debate dates to the founding of the State of Israel. In 1948, Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion reached a series of understandings with religious leaders that became known as the “status quo” agreement, preserving religious institutions and practices in areas such as marriage, kashrut and Shabbat observance.
As part of that arrangement, Ben-Gurion exempted approximately 400 yeshivah students from military service in 1949, believing that Torah scholarship, which had been devastated during the Holocaust, needed protection and rebuilding.
Over the decades, however, the number of exemptions grew dramatically as Israel’s Haredi population expanded. Successive governments attempted to balance the competing values of military service, social integration and religious autonomy. Legal challenges eventually led to the expiration of the Tal Law, which had provided a framework for military deferments, and in June 2024, Israel’s Supreme Court ruled that the government could no longer continue broad exemptions for eligible yeshivah students without a legal framework.
The ruling intensified an already heated national debate.
Many Haredi leaders argue that full-time Torah study is itself a vital contribution to the Jewish state and express concern that military service could undermine the religious identity and lifestyle of young ultra-Orthodox men. Others contend that Israel’s security needs and principles of civic equality require greater Haredi participation in national service.
The issue has sparked demonstrations across the country and deepened divisions across Israeli society.
Yet amid the controversy, some members of the Haredi community are pursuing a different approach.
Located on the campus of the Jerusalem College of Technology in Jerusalem, Yeshivat Derech Chaim is among a small but growing number of institutions seeking to combine intensive Torah study, higher education and military service within a Haredi framework.
Founded by Rabbi Karmi Gross, originally from Florida, the yeshivah was established to provide an environment where Haredi young men could prepare for military service while maintaining their religious identity and commitment to Torah learning.
Unlike traditional Hesder yeshivot, which primarily serve students from Israel’s Religious Zionist community, Derech Chaim specifically caters to students from ultra-Orthodox backgrounds. Students continue to wear traditional Haredi dress and maintain a fully observant lifestyle while pursuing a path that includes military service and professional development.
“The fact that we study for a degree and draft into the army doesn’t mean we need to give up our identity and lifestyle as Orthodox Jews,” one student told JNS.
Students spend their mornings engaged in Torah and Talmud study, while afternoons are devoted to academic coursework in fields such as technology, business and cybersecurity. Many aspire to serve in elite technological units of the Israel Defense Forces.
The model is designed to address one of the central concerns raised by Haredi families: how to participate more fully in Israeli society without sacrificing religious commitments.
“The yeshivah was opened because I wanted boys who are planning to enlist to have a place that feels like home,” Gross said. “A place that combines high-level Torah study with strong values, community and lifelong relationships.”
While institutions such as Derech Chaim remain relatively small compared to the broader Haredi community, supporters see them as a possible bridge between two worlds that are often portrayed as incompatible.
The emergence of new frameworks, including partnerships with specialized Haredi military tracks such as the Israel Defense Forces’ Hasmonean Brigade, reflects growing efforts to create service opportunities tailored to the needs of ultra-Orthodox recruits.
Whether such initiatives will significantly increase Haredi enlistment remains uncertain. The political and religious disagreements surrounding the draft remain deeply entrenched.
Nevertheless, educators at Derech Chaim believe their model demonstrates that military service and serious Torah study need not be mutually exclusive.
As Israel continues to grapple with questions of national service, identity and social cohesion, institutions such as Derech Chaim offer a glimpse of one possible path forward—one that seeks to integrate Haredi young men into Israeli society while preserving the values and traditions that define their community.
