As Jews, we are obligated not merely to study Torah, but to live the moral and ethical lessons contained therein. Our Tanach is replete with parables from which we are to learn the imperative of righteous action. One example is that we may not stand idly by while our fellow man is being attacked because we have a duty to protect our community. That said, the objection of those Israeli Orthodox who refuse to serve in the military (with support from their American counterparts), is extremely troubling (“Haredim And The Draft,” Editorial, March 14).
Without denigrating the customs or sensibilities of the ultra-religious, I believe that if you’re not willing to defend a homeland that is forever fighting for its citizens’ security, then you are not entitled to the benefits of that security. To my mind, it is a violation of the very laws that the Orthodox study so fervently: To bask in the safety that others risk — and all too often lose — their lives to provide.
East Meadow, L.I.
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