A plan for giving basic military training to most students at the religious seminaries in this country was made at a conference here last night between a delegation of seminary heads and Shimon Peres, director-general of the Defense Ministry.
The seminaries contend that military training for the students would interfere with their studies. Mr. Peres, assuring the leaders that the government has no desire to interfere with religious training, suggested that 500 students be totally exempted from military training, while a basic training course lasting several months be given the remaining 2,500 students. Even these 2,500 students would be released from the usual 30-month service requirement for other men.
The seminary heads told Mr. Peres they would study his suggestions and may have a counter-offer at the next meeting.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.