Current sectionIsrael NewsIsrael Political NewsThe bill originally equated study of the Jewish Torah with military service, which could be used to justify ultra-Orthodox men's exclusion from mandatory enlistment. The relevant clause was removed, however, leaving the bill's legal rationale in dispute and its scope undefinedShare to FacebookShare to XArticle printing is available to subscribers onlyPrint in a simple, ad-free formatSubscribeComments: Zen reading is available to subscribers onlyAd-free and in a comfortable reading formatSubscribeNoa Shpigel06:20 PM • June 30 2026 IDTIsrael's Knesset House Committee advanced a bill on Monday that would enshrine a special standing for Israelis engaged in full-time Jewish religious studies as a Basic Law for its first of three votes in the Knesset.Loading...Click the alert icon to follow topics:Jewish studiesUltra-OrthodoxKnessetHaredim Israeli politicsCommentsLoading...In the NewsIn the News: Live UpdatesIsrael-Lebanon DealIran AttackZohran MamdaniWest BankGianni InfantinoHaQuizHaaretz PodcastEisenkot, What Will You Do About Settler Terror?Shin Bet Moves to Recruit Anti-government Activists Citing 'De-escalation' PushStanding Together Is Stronger as a Movement Than a PartyCalifornia's Scott Wiener Addresses Trans Rally Ouster, Israel and NetanyahuIsrael's Armenian Genocide Recognition: A Right Move, for Very Wrong ReasonsRemembering and rebuilding two years laterICYMIAdvanced Israeli Systems Sold to Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Documents and Images ShowIsrael 2026 Election Poll Tracker: The Latest ProjectionsA Collapsing Society: Israel Suffers National Mental Crisis Due to the WarFlagGate: How Israel Set Off a Storm by Hosting a Separatist Genocide DenierWhy Israelis Should Stop Being Afraid of Mamdani-backed Brad LanderSettlers Tried to Torch Palestinian Homes. They Messed With the Wrong Village