Orthodox Women in Israel Urged to Defy Conscription Law

A proclamation calling upon Orthodox young women to defy the Israel national service law for compulsory non-military service for women exempted from military duty on religious grounds, ?ras issued here today by an organization calling itself the Women’s Committee Against National Service. “

The proclamation points out that the maximum penalty for violating the law is three months in prison and contrasts this with the sacrifices of “our sages and saints who went to the auto da fe to die for their faith. ” It further asserts that “if all of you refuse to serve, this edict will be abolished.”