Time will tell whether the recent events prove to be the spark that lit an important new fire, or simply a spark that flickered for a short time before fading out.
A growing number of Haredi men are volunteering for the IDF following the outbreak of the war against Hamas. This trend may signify that the “modern Haredi” phenomenon may be developing into a real movement.
Following the death of Rabbi Edelstein, the Haredi community faces a new and unprecedented situation. The identity of the new leader is not obvious, and whoever is chosen will be weaker than his predecessors. This places more power in the hands of the operatives, who bear no real responsibility.
The current model of the yeshiva and kollel world, in which all men are channeled for long years of study serves the goal of keeping young ultra-Orthodox men off the secular street. Paradoxically, the main victim is the Torah world itself.