“When Everyone is not Everyone”

 Synopsis of “When Everyone is not Everyone” by Shmuel Sackett

1. Background: Rising Tensions over Haredi IDF Draft

• The issue of drafting Haredim into the Israeli army has again reached national attention.

• The new IDF Chief-of-Staff, General Eyal Zamir, boldly declared: “Everyone will serve.”

• Protests, political posturing, and media incitement have heightened internal divisions.

2. The Reality: “Everyone” Doesn’t Mean Everyone

• General Zamir’s call for universal conscription is misleading; it targets Haredim exclusively.

• No one realistically advocates drafting all Israeli citizens—especially not Israeli Arabs.

3. The Toll on Reservists

• Israeli Jewish men aged 18–45 have borne the overwhelming burden of the war since October 7th.

• Many have served over 300 days, disrupting family life and exhausting reserves.

• As IDF operations intensify, even more of these men are being called up again.

4. Haredim Under Fire

• Critics argue Haredim benefit from the state (e.g., stipends, voting rights, education) without sharing military duties.

• The public resentment appears to be based on perceived inequity in national responsibility.

5. The Overlooked Population: Israeli Arabs

• Over 2 million Israeli Arab citizens—many of them healthy, strong, and fluent in Hebrew—are not conscripted.

• They also benefit from government services (education, stipends, voting) yet are never included in draft discussions.

6. The Trust Argument Doesn’t Hold Up

• The common excuse—that Arabs can’t be trusted with weapons—contradicts their integration into society:

  • Arab doctors treat Jewish patients.

  • Arabs work as engineers, drivers, chefs, and even police officers with firearms.

  • They’re already entrusted in sensitive civilian roles, so trust isn’t truly the issue.

7. The Real Target: Haredim, Not Equality

• The focus on drafting Haredim reveals societal resentment—not a true quest for equality.

• Haredim are seen as spiritually fulfilled, family-oriented, and less materialistic, provoking jealousy among secular Israelis.

• Their lower divorce rates, community safety, and Torah-centric lifestyle make them a cultural outlier.

8. The Military Reality: It’s Not About Manpower

• The IDF doesn’t actually need more soldiers—it needs a new strategy.

• The prolonged war results from poor tactical decisions, not Haredi exemption.

• Sackett argues: bomb Gaza buildings from the air rather than send in ground troops.

9. Torah Learning is a National Defense

• Haredim contribute through spiritual protection by learning Torah.

• But this must be taken seriously—Yeshivas and Kollels must adopt a 24/7 learning schedule with rotating shifts, no vacation breaks like Ben HaZmanim.

• Just as soldiers give full commitment, Torah learners must too.

10. Final Suggestion: True Equality or Stop Pretending

• If “everyone must serve,” then train Israeli Arabs from places like Taibe and Um-Al-Fahm for IDF service.

• Assign them to the dangerous missions—like clearing booby-trapped buildings—if the draft policy is truly about equality.

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Conclusion

Sackett asserts that the current draft debate is not about fairness or national security—it’s a targeted campaign against the Haredi community, driven by jealousy and double standards. True equality would mean drafting Israeli Arabs too—but no one dares suggest that. Until then, demanding more from Torah scholars while ignoring this contradiction is unjust and divisive.

Message: Am Yisrael needs both soldiers and scholars. Let’s be honest about who’s really being asked to serve—and why.