By NIR KIPNIS

JULY 8, 2026 16:25

The legislation known as the Torah Students Law has sparked widespread outrage because it forms part of a set of rules that favor one group over another in matters of national duty.

These measures force secular youth into longer and more dangerous compulsory service plus heavier reserve obligations amid rising military demands while granting exemptions not just to genuine Torah scholars but also to many who are simply listed as students with no real connection to study.

The core ethical issues have drawn strong opposition on several grounds including the rushed legislative path aimed at rewarding coalition partners after a failed attempt at a symbolic draft bill the willingness of lawmakers to ignore their own voters conscience and the hurried process that highlights political maneuvering.

This context clarifies the action taken by Dudi Koppel the Finance Ministry legal advisor who wrote to Knesset Committee legal advisor Arbel Asterhan highlighting potential consequences of the proposed rules.

The letter targets the committee because it must ready the measure for further votes following its initial approval in the plenum last week.

Although the committee appears unrelated to the substance the fast track approach treats all steps as acceptable before the current Knesset term ends.

Tens or hundreds of billions?

In the letter Koppel highlights overlooked economic dimensions and reaches a stark conclusion: massive losses reaching tens of billions of shekels from the law and its ripple effects.

Some analysts argue this figure understates the true impact and project cumulative costs could climb into the hundreds of billions over coming years.

The primary immediate losses stem from extra allocations to Haredi schools whose funding could match university budgets meaning the state would spend more on those avoiding service than on training physicians engineers and researchers.

Besides the direct hit to taxpayers which may require higher levies the measure threatens long term growth in high tech sectors and essential services such as healthcare through reduced skilled professionals.

A further concern involves pushing Haredim out of employment where roughly half of men currently participate though many roles serve only their own communities this share may shrink when rules favor listed Torah students over actual workers.

Such workforce reduction leads to greater reliance on public support funded by general revenues with effects building over time but visible right away through fewer self sufficient contributors.

The Finance Ministry also flags added costs from heavier reserve loads since fewer new soldiers roughly twelve thousand short already means more call ups for those already serving and these days cost more than standard service adding financial strain alongside personal tolls.

Turning Haredim into enemies

Economists and advisors avoid blunt terms but the law stands as reckless and shameful not merely for the insult it delivers from officials who largely avoided service themselves toward those sent to fight.

It is reckless and shameful also due to its financial fallout that will weaken the economy and load extra costs onto citizens who simply fulfill their responsibilities by working each day.

Whenever religion and state issues surface especially around security education and jobs critics often face accusations of bias against the Haredi community.

Here I speak only for myself though many likely share the view: I hold no animosity toward Haredim whom I recognize as more varied than outsiders might assume from a quick secular glance.

What I oppose is the political bargaining that hurts the very community it claims to protect first by locking many into dependency on benefits to keep them tied to leaders and second by directing resentment toward those worried for their serving children who then watch their own economic prospects fade while funding exemptions by law.

On this point silence is no longer an option.