A bold and confidential proposal emerging from the chareidi world aims to rewrite Israel’s security equation. Conceived by Rav Avraham Deutsch, a rav and author of over fifty sefarim, the plan envisions thousands of non-yeshiva chareidim mobilizing to defend Israeli cities and communities—outside of the IDF framework. Endorsed by senior security figures, including retired IDF Brigadier General Yoeli Or, the initiative has been described as “something that could work.”
The revelation comes as tensions between the chareidi community and the Israeli defense establishment reach unprecedented levels, and the Supreme Court presses the government to fully enforce the draft law. For the first time, a comprehensive 33-page document outlines a year-long effort to design a security system run by civilians under rabbinic oversight, named Yechidat Gevulot HaPnim (“Internal Borders Unit””).
A Plan Years in the Making
Rav Deutsch, Av Beis Din and mara d’asra of the chareidi community in Maale Adumim, developed the initiative with General Or after observing the growing security vulnerabilities in Jewish cities bordering hostile Arab areas. “I was examining a halachic question about writing ‘Maale Adumim’ as a separate locality in a get,” Rav Deutsch recounts. “While studying army maps, I noticed the city’s alarming proximity to Azariya.”
He soon learned that local commanders lacked organized manpower for emergency defense. “They told me, ‘We don’t have a structured force that can protect us in case of an invasion—only a miracle could save us,’” Rav Deutsch said. Moved by their concern, he approached overseas philanthropists to help fund a volunteer defense network for the Adumim bloc.
An Unlikely Partnership
General (res.) Yoeli Or, former Golani Brigade commander, recalls being introduced to Rav Deutsch by a volunteer from Maale Adumim. “We met—and there was an instant connection,” he said. “It was the first time I heard the term yehareg ve’al yaavor applied to army service. I was shocked. But I came to realize—we all live in the same territory and face the same threats. Everyone must help defend, the only question is how.”
Rav Deutsch explained to him: “Toraso umanuso is no less than military service—it’s a spiritual army. But there are civilians under threat, and the IDF is overstretched. There must be a defensive framework that doesn’t involve uniforms or state authority.”
Speaking With the Establishment
In his essay, Rav Deutsch recounts extensive conversations with top military and judicial figures, including a remarkable exchange with former IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi. “Ashkenazi told me that Israel, like much of the West, is moving toward a professional army,” the rav said. “He said explicitly that in such a structure, there would be no need to draft chareidim.”
He also describes an extraordinary dialogue with retired Justice Tzvi Tal, who chaired the committee behind the original Tal Law. “He told me, ‘The chareidi public doesn’t get it. Why not simply go to the Supreme Court and state that military service is against our religion?’” Rav Deutsch recalls. “He said no such argument was ever properly presented, and that no court in the world would reject a genuine religious claim like that.”
The Security Concept
The “Internal Borders Unit” would focus on internal defense, not external warfare. Rav Deutsch explains: “Israel’s borders are unlike any other country’s—the threats aren’t just beyond the state line but within it. Our cities and towns are the real front lines.” Using Maale Adumim as an example, he describes weak local security networks—few volunteers, poor equipment, and lack of command structure. “Even the State Comptroller’s reports show these gaps,” he notes, citing recent incidents where hundreds of Palestinian workers infiltrated the city unchecked.
The proposed framework envisions 3,000 volunteers in the first phase—not yeshiva students or avreichim, but working chareidi men such as storeowners and municipal employees. Each participant would need written confirmation from their local rav that they are not enrolled in any learning program. Training would be provided by professional international security firms, not the army or police, and would cover hostage response, anti-terror tactics, urban combat, and medical readiness. Members would be fully equipped with weapons, communication systems, and protective gear.
Chain of Command—and Controversy
The most sensitive feature of the plan is its dual authority. “The head of each unit must be someone who learned in a yeshiva,” Rav Deutsch stresses. “All commanders should be graduates of Torah institutions.”
According to the document, the Nasi HaYechidah (unit president) would be chosen jointly by the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of Shas, Agudas Yisroel, and Degel HaTorah. While the unit would coordinate with local police during emergencies, the rabbinic leadership would have final say on all spiritual, halachic, and operational matters related to its mission. Rav Deutsch warns that even limited affiliation with the Defense or Internal Security ministries would “inevitably lead to state takeover.”
Rabbinic Positions and Theological Boundaries
Throughout the proposal, Rav Deutsch presents sources showing the consistent stance of leading gedolim against IDF service. He cites Rav Elazar Menachem Man Shach, who wrote that “service and enlistment of yeshiva students constitutes yehareg ve’al yaavor.” Rav Dovid Soloveitchik is quoted as saying, “The very founding of the state was a rebellion against Hashem and His Torah… any connection with the army is a Torah prohibition.” Rav Dov Landau is quoted responding to IDF arguments for equality: “We are not the ones being protected—we are the protectors.”
Waiting for Rabbinic Approval
Despite the depth of the plan, Rav Deutsch remains cautious. “This is only a preliminary suggestion,” he writes. “Only Gedolei Yisroel have the authority to permit or forbid such a step.” He reports that he has already presented the proposal to senior rabbonim from the Litvishe, chassidic, and Sephardic communities, but no official ruling has been issued. One member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah told him, “Such a decision must be made collectively, like a Sanhedrin. It involves saving lives but also exposing people to danger.”
A General’s Perspective
General Or believes the plan is realistic: “I’m not naïve—I know the challenges are huge, legal and operational. But what I’ve seen working with Rav Deutsch this past year is a genuine desire to contribute.” Regarding the dual command issue, he says: “I’d rather have a chareidi responder who answers 95% of the time and declines 5% for halachic reasons than have none at all. Right now, we have zero.”
“If we build it carefully—with clear training and protocols—it can work,” he concludes. “It’s not perfect, but it’s far better than what exists today.”
Funding and Final Thoughts
The document includes a preliminary budget and detailed equipment list for every participant—from firearms to tactical boots. Funding, it says, would come from national allocations already earmarked for chareidi enlistment, but routed through the Finance Ministry rather than the Defense Ministry.
Rav Deutsch ends his essay with humility: “We must remain optimistic and seek bridges in this crisis. But Gedolei Yisroel alone can approve or forbid this. Everything depends on them.”
He concludes with words that encapsulate his vision: “All of this is mere hishtadlus for the protection of our homes. For in truth, every believing Jew knows that ‘If Hashem will not guard the city, the watchman keeps vigil in vain.’ We have no one to rely on but our Father in Heaven.”
{Matzav.com}
