Yeshiva students who apply for exemption from military service to pursue religious studies may soon have to affirm legally that their only employment is the full-time study of Torah.
Legislation to that effect has been introduced by several Knesset members and endorsed by the Likud government, subject to consultations with the religious parties that are its coalition partners.
The initiative comes in the wake of a report by State Comptroller Miriam Ben-Porat accusing the Orthodox Shas party of using its Treasury allocations to employ draft-exempt yeshiva students, who are forbidden by law to work.
The purpose of the proposed law is to ensure that religious youths who would prefer work to study do not continue to avoid the draft.
If the legislation is passed, students would have to sign an affidavit before a lawyer, judge or dayan (religious court judge) each time they claimed military exemption. The document would certify they are engaged in no employment other than their studies.
Under the present law, a religious youth can have his military service deferred from year to year simply by claiming status as a Torah student.
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