Painful testimonies have already been reported in Yated Ne'eman of what is
going on at the Jerusalem Army Draft office and elsewhere. These include educational
damage incurred by the visit alone, as well as outright medical humiliation forced
upon yeshiva students, compounded by strong social pressure exerted on them to sign
up for full army duty.
It appears that aside from pressured attempts to get students to sign up for the
draft and sign all kinds of documents, attempts which have been strongly attacked by
roshei yeshivos who have urgently condemned them, declaring, "It is our obligation to
repulse every such attempt and not be afraid of what they say," there is also
evidence of a frightening spiritual danger in the very presence of these students in
that office and the humiliating medical examinations which they are forced to
undergo. The painful testimonies have evoked shock and revulsion by those who were
subjected to them and who begged Yated Ne'eman to raise a hue and cry to expose and
call a halt to them in view of the terrible implications these visits present.
Rabbi Gafni said that if the registration experience of yeshiva students is not
improved, he would see no choice but to recommend to gedolei Yisroel that all
yeshiva bochurim refuse to register.
