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A looming political storm over drafting Haredi men into the military is threatening to undermine Israel's government and splitting the country.

Public opinion on the issue has undergone a sea change in Israel following two years of conflict, and this is now possibly the most explosive political challenge facing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Judicial Conflict

Politicians are currently considering a piece of legislation to abolish the special status awarded to ultra-Orthodox men dedicated to full-time religious study, created when the the nation was founded in 1948.

That exemption was struck down by Israel's High Court of Justice in the early 2000s. Interim measures to extend it were officially terminated by the court last year, compelling the administration to start enlisting the Haredi sector.

Approximately 24,000 enlistment orders were sent out last year, but just approximately 1,200 ultra-Orthodox - or Haredi - draftees reported for duty, according to defense officials given to lawmakers.

Tensions Spill Into Violence

Strains are boiling over onto the streets, with lawmakers now deliberating a new legislative proposal to require yeshiva students into military service in the same way as other Jewish citizens.

A pair of ultra-Orthodox lawmakers were targeted this month by hardline activists, who are incensed with parliament's discussion of the proposed law.

Recently, a elite police squad had to rescue enforcement personnel who were attacked by a sizeable mob of community members as they sought to apprehend a man avoiding service.

Such incidents have prompted the establishment of a new communication network called "Dark Alert" to spread word quickly through Haredi neighborhoods and summon protesters to prevent arrests from occurring.

"This is a Jewish state," said one protester. "You can't fight against the Jewish faith in a Jewish country. It is a contradiction."

A Realm Apart

However the changes sweeping across Israel have not reached the confines of the Kisse Rahamim yeshiva in an ultra-Orthodox city, an ultra-Orthodox city on the fringes of Tel Aviv.

Inside the classroom, scholars study together to analyze Jewish law, their distinctive notepads contrasting with the lines of light-colored shirts and small black kippahs.

"Arrive late at night, and you will see half the guys are studying Torah," the dean of the seminary, a senior rabbi, said. "Via dedicated learning, we shield the troops wherever they are. This is how we contribute."

The community holds that constant study and Torah learning guard Israel's armed forces, and are as crucial to its military success as its advanced weaponry. This conviction was acknowledged by Israel's politicians in the past, the rabbi said, but he admitted that Israel was changing.

Increasing Popular Demand

The Haredi community has more than doubled its proportion of Israel's population over the last seventy years, and now represents 14%. A policy that originated as an exception for a small number of Torah scholars evolved into, by the onset of the recent conflict, a group of approximately 60,000 men not subject to the national service.

Surveys show backing for ultra-Orthodox conscription is rising. Research in July revealed that a large majority of non-Haredi Jews - even a large segment in Netanyahu's own right-wing Likud party - backed penalties for those who ignored a enlistment summons, with a solid consensus in supporting removing privileges, passports, or the right to vote.

"I feel there are people who live in this country without contributing," one serviceman in Tel Aviv explained.

"I don't think, however religious you are, [it] should be an excuse not to go and serve your country," said Gabby. "As a citizen by birth, I find it quite ridiculous that you want to exempt yourself just to learn in a yeshiva all day."

Voices from the Heart of Bnei Brak

Advocacy of extending the draft is also expressed by religious Jews outside the Haredi community, like Dorit Barak, who lives near the academy and highlights observant but non-Haredi Jews who do serve in the military while also engaging in religious study.

"I am frustrated that this community don't serve in the army," she said. "It's unfair. I too follow the Jewish law, but there's a proverb in Hebrew - 'Safra and Saifa' – it means the Torah and the weapons together. That's the way forward, until the days of peace."

She runs a modest remembrance site in Bnei Brak to soldiers from the area, both from all backgrounds, who were killed in battle. Lines of images {