Ultra-Orthodox

Haredi parties accuse Knesset foreign affairs committee legal adviser of stalling draft bill

According to senior haredi party figures quoted by Maariv, some of Frenkel-Shor’s conditions are not purely legal in nature but reflect “an ideological approach.”

MK Boaz Bismuth seen with haredi MKs and Aliyah and Integration Minister Ofir Sofer in the Knesset, Jerusalem, January 14, 2026.
Ultra-Orthodox rioters clash with police following an assault on two female Israeli soldiers in Bnei Brak, February 15, 2026.

Tearing Israel apart: Jew-on-Jew violence in Bnei Brak is unacceptable - opinion

Israel’s ultra-Orthodox Jewish sector has been protesting over the attempts to draft young haredi men into the military.

Study shows how Israel's economy funnels money to ultra-Orthodox families through benefit programs

Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men clash with police following an assault on two female Israeli soldiers in Bnei Brak, central Israel, February 15, 2026.

Ultra-Orthodox rioters to remain in custody after chasing female IDF soldiers, clashing with police


New haredi draft bill dodges real service demands, delays accountability - editorial

The bill is a clear attempt by Netanyahu to move the goalpost as little as possible while keeping his ultra-Orthodox coalition partners satiated.

 Ultra orthodox Jews scuffle with police during a protest against the drafting of ultra orthodox jews outside an IDF Recruitment Center in Jeursalem, November 12, 2025.

Bismuth advances updated ultra-Orthodox IDF draft bill as Knesset prepares for decisive debates

The revised bill is described by its drafters as a “balanced” response - but its core architecture offers the haredi sector a wide window of relief.

Likud MK Boaz Bismuth, chair of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, leads a meeting at the Knesset, in Jerusalem, November 10, 2025

Ultra-Orthodox Brooklyn man who abused child may see 103-year sentence reduced - NYT

The message Brooklyn's district attorney was sending was that “politics matters more than protecting children,” said Boorey Deutsch, the husband of the woman who Weberman abused when she was a girl.

Nechemya Weberman convicted for 103 years in prison.

Colombian authorities, Interpol rescue 17 minors from ultra-Orthodox Lev Tahor sect

Five of the minors had an Interpol Yellow Notice, used in cases of missing persons and human trafficking. The Lev Tahor victims were nationals from the United States, Canada, and Guatemala.

Minors rescued in Colombia from the Lev Tahor sect.

Ultra-Orthodox leaders give haredi factions green light to advance IDF draft bill

The past week has seen violence from within the haredi community from extremists who are against a law that would require army enlistment from members of the community.

 Rabbi Dov Lando seen during a meeting to discuss the drafting of ultra-Orthodox jews to the IDF in the ultra-Orthodox city of Bnei Brak, April 5, 2024.

Liberman slams haredi draft-dodger extremists, ultra-Orthodox parties condemn violence

UTJ and Shas denounce violent haredi extremists as tensions rise over a contentious IDF draft bill, prompting political backlash and stalled legislation.

Yisrael Beytenu chairperson Avigdor Liberman denounces the haredi extremists during a Knesset faction press conference, November 17, 2025.

‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ aliyah: All different kinds of Jews are welcome in Israel - opinion

Will Israel abandon those unable to provide the requisite rabbinical letter? If so, how could Israel claim moral superiority to countries that turned away boatloads of Jews fleeing Nazi Europe?

ALIYAH AND INTEGRATION Minister Ofir Sofer (right) welcomes new immigrants from France at Ben-Gurion Airport last year. As many consider a move to the Jewish homeland, Israel must prepare to receive its sons and daughters, says the writer.

Prosecution moves to hold Roche Israel, former UTJ aides accountable for possible fraud

Three key figures are facing potential criminal charges in an ongoing lobbying investigation.

Yaakov Litzman at the weekly cabinet meeting, March 2020.

Tomer Persico: The evolution of individualism and collective identity in Judaism

Dr. Tomer Persico explores how the biblical idea of humans created in God’s image shaped Western values like individualism and equality.

Dr. Tomer Persico

Israelis feel Trump wields more influence on Israel's security than Netanyahu's government - poll

The nationwide survey also finds broad perception that Israel’s security is a central consideration for Trump, alongside persistent splits over judicial legislation and haredi conscription.

US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hold a joint press conference in the State Dining Room at the White House, in Washington, DC, US, September 29, 2025