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least, they should let those boys who
"This group will become the flag-
don't study enlist in the army," said
bearers for their entire community,"
Duvdevani.
says Yehuda Duvdevani, head of the
After months of recruiting, a group
Defense Ministry's Nahal and
of 30 young men recently agreed. The
National Missions Division, who
army chose a base, kashered the
founded the program. "They will
kitchen and barred women soldiers.
show the community that those who
Most of the staff who volunteered to
are studying should study in yeshiva,
train the haredim were modern
but those who don't should join the
”
Orthodox Jews who understood the
army.
group's special needs.
Since the haredi draftees prefer to
Still, a few problems arose. One
remain anonymous, the Israel
soldier complained that it was diffi-
Defense Force does not allow jour-
cult to concentrate on morning
nalists to visit the training camp. But
prayers after the morning run. Since
in an interview with JTA,
some soldiers' parents don't even
Duvdevani, 54, shared the story of
know their sons have volunteered,
how this historic group of soldiers
some of the recruits
was established.
take off their uniforms
He says the army is
page:
Opposite
before returning home
making a serious effort
A member of Israel's
for weekend leave.
to understand the special
new fervently Orthodox
Yet according to
needs of potential haredi
army unit engages in
Duvdevani, the fervent-
soldiers and to create a
a training exercise.
ly Orthodox soldiers
framework that could
salute the Israeli flag —
bridge the widening reli-
a symbol of the secular Jewish state
gious-secular gulf.
scorned by their community — dur-
The issue dates back to Israel's
ing morning and evening roll calls.
independence. Believing the fervently
Despite this symbol of allegiance,
Orthodox community would wither
the rabbis' worst fears have not materi-
away, David Ben-Gurion, Israel's first
alized. "The rabbis were afraid" the
prime minister, agreed to exempt 400
recruits would "lose their religion if
yeshiva students from military service.
they join the army," said Duvdevani.
In subsequent decades, yeshivas
"The irony is that some of them had
have grown and now boast more than
stopped putting on tefillin before they
72,000 students. Angry secular Israelis
were drafted, and now they are corn-
say they have become a haven for
-
ing back to religion."
draft-dodgers.
The army is also helping the
In 1996, Yitzhak Mordechai, then-
recruits improve their math and
defense minister, appointed
English skills. "We want to give them
Duvdevani, a former senior officer, to
head the Nahal Division and refocus it something to go out to the world
with," says Duvdevani."
to confront challenges facing Israeli
He says the program will slowly
society.
usher in an acceptance of the army as
For Duvdevani, a secular Jew, this
a legitimate alternative for young hare-
mission was personal as well. In the
di men.
battle of Latrun in the 1948 War of
"Not all of the rabbis agree with
Independence, Duvdevani's father
this initiative. But I'm sure that if this
commanded hundreds of religious and
works, those that don't agree will start
secular new immigrants who arrived
to realize that this is good for their
in the newly established Jewish state
community," says Duvdevani. "I want
just days before being sent to the
to build a bridge between the religious
front.
and secular worlds. What is at stake is
Scores were killed in the battle,
the unity of Israel." P1
including Duvdevani's father, who was
missing in action until last year.
"My father laid out the path for
me," says Duvdevani. "In the army,
we are one nation, with one destiny
The Halevi Musical Society was
and one mission."
founded by the Jewish National
After meeting haredi rabbis,
Workers Alliance, not by the
Knesset members and yeshiva stu-
Sholem Aleichem Institute, as
dents, Duvdevani realized that hun-
incorrectly stated in the Marking
dreds of young fervently Orthodox
100 Years of Detroit Jewry photo
men were not studying in yeshivas,
caption
of March 12.
but were hanging out on the streets.
"I told the haredi leaders that at
x x vie
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Detroit Jewish News

3 /1 9
1999

21

