Ultra-Orthodox Deserter Fund Sparks Outrage Across Israeli Political Spectrum
A new ultra-Orthodox crowdfunding initiative offers military deserters 1,000 shekels per day in prison, drawing sharp condemnation from Israeli opposition leaders.
A controversial new crowdfunding initiative named "Kla Elef" (Thousand Prison) is gaining momentum within Israel's ultra-Orthodox community, offering ultra-Orthodox military deserters 1,000 shekels in cash for every day spent in military prison. Nearly 10,000 people have already joined the project, contributing micro-amounts that accumulate into substantial sums.
Backing and First Payouts
The initiative is backed by senior ultra-Orthodox rabbis from the Shas and United Torah Judaism factions, including Rabbi Dov Lando, Rabbi Moshe Hillel Hirsch, and Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef. The fund's first payout was executed recently, when Abraham Engel, an ultra-Orthodox deserter who spent 12 days in military prison, received 12,000 shekels in cash.
Critics argue this mechanism effectively removes the deterrent factor of military incarceration, turning imprisonment into a lucrative enterprise backed by political parties and organizations heavily funded by state budgets.
Political Reactions
The opposition strongly condemned the initiative. The Yashar! party, led by Gadi Eisenkot, issued a severe reprimand:
We heard the partners of the evasion government speaking out against those who serve, and tonight it was revealed that those who evade service and enter prison are also rewarded with thousands of shekels. This is a worldview that has turned evasion into an ideology.
Former Prime Minister and leader of the "Be-ayahad" list, Naftali Bennett, stated:
This is a disgrace. This government of Deri, Goldknopf, Netanyahu, and Smotrich transfers 1000 shekels a day to an ultra-Orthodox deserter in prison. We will dry them up, close all their pipelines, and dismantle this ultra-Orthodox state.
Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Lieberman added that the madness must stop, promising that a future government would redirect any funds away from draft evaders directly to active-duty soldiers.
