Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., June 03, 2008 Iyyar 29, 5768 | | Israel Time: 10:29 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Peres Conference Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Last update - 02:50 02/06/2008 A new national service? By Avirama Golan Tags: Yuli Tamir, Israel  A strange thing happened last week to Education Minister Yuli Tamir. A few weeks after she slashed some 3,160 national service positions, effectively putting an end to the program for this year, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert instructed Ra'anan Dinur, the director-general of the Prime Minister's Office, to immediately transfer funding for it, which Dinur did two days later. Dinur attended a meeting called by Olmert, as did Ami Ayalon, the minister in charge of national service. Yet Tamir - who should have rejoiced that her ministry was to receive the missing NIS 18 million to operate the national service project this year, in addition to another NIS 60 million for 2009 - was conspicuously absent. Whether she missed the meeting of her own accord or was not invited, her absence highlighted the extraneous political-coalition tensions that characterized the entire affair from the beginning. Tamir's treatment of national service in general and national service for Orthodox girls in particular has been interpreted by the National Union-National Religious Party as a political liquidation campaign. Certain steps taken by Tamir, at least at the beginning of the process, appeared both justified and logical from an educational, administrative and political point of view. She increased the number of positions in special education and welfare, the Arab sector and those responsible for absorbing immigrants in state schools, while limiting national service positions for girls, the aim of which is to impart "love of the land and Jewish heritage." This kind of work, typified by a clearly religious-right perspective, was in any case considered enrichment and not essential social service. Reducing it was reasonable, even if it did raise the ire of National Union-National Religious Party activists. There is no justification for Orthodox girls to be teaching ultra-Orthodox Zionist "love of Israel" in state schools. Either way, the decision is certainly within Tamir's purview. Advertisement However, the funding for national service not only comes from the Education Ministry's budget. Part of it is determined each year by the coalition give-and-take that preserves and even harshens a reality that changed long ago. Ostensibly, this is the sole realm of the national religious public, including the settlers; it is intended to allow girls, whose rabbis increasingly prohibit them from serving in the Israel Defense Forces, to contribute to society. Thus, national service began as an educational-social solution backed up by political-religious support, and a great bit of criticism. (Many people believed that there was no reason Orthodox girls should not be drafted, but since they would not be drafted in any case, it would be better that they volunteer.) Since then, national service has gradually been taken out of the hands of the rabbis and NRP activists. Tamir was wrong when she decided to continue reducing the number of national service positions (in the past four years no positions were added to the existing 3,000, although the demand from volunteers and organizations has grown), and finally to turn off the faucet entirely. It is true that many Orthodox girls still volunteer for charity work of a controversial nature, and it is not clear why the national service project should fund them, while others assist at ideological centers in settlements. But Israeli society is undergoing a fundamental change, and so is national service. The attitude toward the draft has changed, and the number of draftees from various sectors is on the decline. Nevertheless, many of those who are not drafted - either because they did not want to go or the army rejected them - feel a need to contribute to society. In recent years the associations operating national service programs have changed. They are not only Orthodox, and they reflect a large variety of population groups, including the disabled, boys who have been exempted for various reasons, religious and secular, Arabs and Jews. Many are working in special education, as well as health and welfare in various communities. Only some of the associations retain the old Orthodox framework (such as the demand to keep kosher and dress modestly.) An unusual group of national service volunteers has been living in a rented house on Sderot's Hashaked Street for several years. Its members are physically disabled and the army didn't draft them. They all insisted on doing national service, in Sderot of all places, and they work there with teens. The community benefits from this kind of volunteering, no less than the volunteers themselves. All signs point toward national service undergoing a natural process of development in Israeli society, both within itself and by itself, transforming it from a controversial solution for Orthodox girls to a comprehensive civilian service. This is a path of enrichment, contributing to equality in a society that in the past would evaluate its citizens solely based on a militaristic standard. The appointment of Ayalon as the minister responsible for national service shows that even the cabinet understood that national service is a valuable civilian tool. The decision not to curtail it was a good one. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Slamming Obama McCain uses speech to AIPAC to criticize Obama for willingness to meet U.S. foes. Soldier kidnapping Three Israeli Arabs charged with planning to kidnap, kill soldier.   1.   Golan 12:48  |  j10 02/06/08   2.   Draft Chareidim and there would be 01:29  |  equal time 03/06/08   3.   Wellcome!! And service for all!!! 07:37  |  Alain 03/06/08   4.   Important contribution 08:20  |  Israel Israeli 03/06/08   5.   Charadim & Arabs should have to do National Service 10:11  |  Joe Israeli 03/06/08

Read & React MK Avital: Israel should renounce Hagee, his ilk Responses: 4 Shin Bet detains Physicians for Human Rights official Responses: 14 Housing Min.: Olmert backed move to build new homes in E. J'lem Responses: 99 Natalie Portman to pitch Jewish-funded Rwanda youth village Responses: 11 U.S. imam fighting deportation talks of torture by Israel Responses: 40 Egypt tries to thwart EU pact to upgrade Israel trade ties Responses: 55 More Headlines 10:27 Gunman wounds man near Gaza-area Kissufim junction 10:10 With eye on PM job, Mofaz parlays with Shas to avoid early elections 09:26 Olmert heads to U.S. with focus on defense ties, thwarting Iran 09:45 Housing Minister: Olmert backed decision to build new homes in East Jerusalem 02:39 Egypt tries to thwart Israel's plans in Europe 03:52 Physicians for Human Rights official detained by Shin Bet 09:55 Natalie Portman to pitch Jewish-funded youth village in Rwanda 10:16 Former neo-Nazis from Sweden visit Yad Vashem 08:10 Gal-On bill would jail 'online brothel managers' for 5 years 01:57 With primary in sight, Kadima chiefs scurry to drum up support 10:08 Doctors identify five IDF soldiers among remains handed over by Hezbollah 02:49 In about-face, government may open doors to Falashmura immigration 05:53 Anti-Semitic incidents in Canada hit record high in 2007 Previous Editions Select Day 02 jun 01 jun 30 may 29 may 28 may 27 may 26 may 25 may 23 may 22 may 21 may 20 may

Special Offers Advertisement Dead Sea Products Buy Dead Sea mineral skin care and beauty products. Coupon code Haaretz for 10% off. Jerusalem of Gold Luxury apartments in Jerusalem's finest location Your vacation starts here Israel Travel Center Guaranteed Lowest Rates Istudy Learn Hebrew in 3 months The Terraces Your Ultimate Coastal Address On Nitza Boulevard, North Netanya Together Celebrating Israel's 60th The Jewish Agency and You - together making history Pardes Institute Summer Sessions http://www.pardes.org.il/ Free the Palestinians from: Corrupt Kleptocracy, Tyrannical Theocracy, Abysmal Anarchy Fattal Hotel Chain Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel. ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved