11/6/2009 Changing The System By Yair Hoffman
Source: Five Towns Jewish Times
Changing The System
BY RABBI YAIR HOFFMAN
Haredi society in Eretz Yisrael is facing a crisis of epic proportion. Many of its members are just not cut out for learning. Yet they are unable to enter the work- force on account of a number of factors. Many have no vocational training. Many have no general educational skills. And there are economic barriers as well. Until an Israeli citizen has done his army service, the law bars him barred from entering the workforce.
The crisis is also causing some serious social repercussions. Due to their being locked out of both the learning world and the working world, an entire genre of Haredi “Noshrim” (those who have fall- en) has emerged. Many members of this community are unable to gain self-sufficiency and look abroad (read Five Towns) for financial support.
Nahal Haredi has been addressing this growing crisis for ten years. It is entering into a new expansion phase and is now receiving the backing of Gedolei Yisrael in America. The Five Towns Jewish Times sat down with Rabbi Tzvi Klebanow, the director of Nahal Haredi, and a founder of this important organization.
YH: Nahal Haredi—what is it?
RTK: Nahal Haredi is an environment in the IDF, which provides Haredi youth with the opportunity to serve in the defense of their country without compromise in their religious way of life.
YH: Do you feel that there are Haredim who would like to serve their country and have hakaras hatov and just didn’t have the opportunity?
RTK: Perhaps to some extent, but not completely. Haredi youth have not been exposed to the concept of the army as part of one’s life. Nahal Haredi, however, is changing perspectives.
When this youth does enlist, they become immersed in it. It becomes real. You cannot put your life on the line for the country and not develop a sense of closeness. It happens in a reverse manner. First they do the work and then develop the closeness.
YH: Are the Haredim upset at Nahal Haredi for this?
RTK: The mainstream Haredim do not look at it as something undermining. We have come a long way. The program started in February 1999; it is ten years old. There will be a ten-year anniversary exercise shortly. Historically there have been many Haredim who have served in the regular IDF. There was a predecessor, also called Nahal Haredi. And that is where the name came from. The army has recognized this unit a number of times for their fighting prowess and their commitment to serve.
YH: Is it real though? Is it a substantive fighting force or is this just a ploy to make it look as if Haredim are in the IDF?
RTK: This is not a ploy to make it look as if Haredim are fighting but really not. It is a formidable elite unit that the army is proud of. And they do great work. The army has, in fact, recognized this unit a number of times for their fighting prowess and their commitment to serve. It actually is a machaneh kadosh.
YH: What was the impetus for the Gedolim in Eretz Yisrael to start this pro- gram?
RTK: There were Gedolim that supported this because they understood the need for it. A large growing group of Haredi youth did not find their place between the walls of the Beis Ha’Midrash. They were locked out of society, education, and work. These Gedolim saw this need and backed up the program.
YH: What is your budget? I understand that the IDF covers the cost of the base and all those expenses but how much does it cost for the shiurim, the recruitment, and the other aspects of frum life in this unit not covered by the IDF?
RTK: The total is about $700,000. $500,000 is the amount that we must raise for the 1,000 recruits that we have.
YH: What is your goal in the expansion program?
RTK: We want to have 2,000 in the program in the next three years and if the expansion program is effective, even more.
YH: How many young men did you start with?
RTK: We started with 30 boys. Today we are a battalion. We have a three-year program—two years in combat and the third year is an educational year since this is a program dealing with societal change because these boys are lacking a secular education. As soldiers in the third year, they are given a choice of high school matriculation, vocational training, or they can start an associates program called handassai
YH: What is the actual breakdown of it in terms of their years? Where are most of them now?
RTK: 300 boys are in basic training. 600 boys are in the actual battalion, and 100 boys in the educational program.
YH: How do you advertise or recruit?
RTK: We have a staff of recruiters that go to places where kids congregate— chaver meivi chaver as well—word of mouth is key.
YH: What about city municipalities? Do they offer assistance too?
RTK: Yes. Every city has staff for kidum hanoar—advancement of its youth. They provide us with lists of names and put us in contact with key people.
YH: How about foreigners? Do you get Americans, for example?
RTK: Yes, we do get Americans too; the Mahal program for Nahal Haredi. American boys only do 15 months of duty. We have 40 American boys, but we also have from England, France, and all over.
YH: How do you plan to boost your recruitment?
RTK: The way we would do that is by making our soldiers into better ambassadors. By investing in our soldiers.
YH: How did it begin?
RTK: Rav Yitzchak Bar Chaim from Givat Mordechai in Yerushalayim was a mashgiach in a yeshivah ketanah and he saw the profound need to do something about the Haredi youth that were lost. Someone made a shidduch between Brigadier General Duvdevani and the rest was history.
YH: What was your proudest moments?
RTK: Udi Shani, a division commander in the IDF, was once addressing a group of American visitors to a base in Israel and he said:
“As a general in the Israeli battalion, as an Israeli, and as a chiloni, today we, all three of us, understand. We understand that the combination of Torah, tefillah, and soldiering expertise combines to produce an invincible soldier.”
I was very proud of this statement. Udi Shani has over 24,000 soldiers in his division. He further said, “The nekudat ha’or, the point of light, in my division is Nahal Haredi.”
Rabbi Klebanow is looking for assistance in forming a chapter of Friends of Nahal Haredi in the Five Towns. Interested parties may contact him at 917-254-3331 or at www.Nahalharedi.org. Helping this organization is an opportunity to significantly change the future prospects of Eretz Yisrael.
