Ultra-Orthodox Students Hold Mass Prayer Rally Outside Military Prison 10

Thousands of ultra-Orthodox students arrived today in organized transport for a mass prayer rally outside Military Prison 10, where ultra-Orthodox youth detained for failing to report for IDF military service are being held. Skipping regular classes, students from Talmud Torah institutions affiliated with the Breslov Hasidic movement and other ultra-Orthodox factions traveled alongside their teachers and staff to the military prison facility. Participants arrived from various cities, including Safed, Beit Shemesh, Jerusalem, Beitar Illit, and Tel Aviv.

Prayer Rally and Protests

Organizers described the gathering as a prayer assembly rather than a political demonstration, featuring psalm recitations and singing. According to organizers, the event aimed to support young ultra-Orthodox detainees imprisoned for refusing to enlist, including individuals arrested while attempting to travel to Uman for Rosh Hashanah despite active exit restrictions. Attorney Natan Rosenblatt, a member of the Breslov community, stated that approximately 30 to 40 young men are currently detained at the facility after being arrested on their way to or from Ukraine.

"They came to pray for the release of the young men behind me—some 30 to 40 boys arrested on the way from Uman or to Uman who are now being held in prison. This is purely prayer and song, not a protest," Rosenblatt said.

Educational Guidelines and Reactions

The mobilization of school children for the demonstration raised questions regarding compliance with Ministry of Education regulations. Department directives prohibit utilizing educational institutions for partisan political activities or directing students toward specific political stances during school hours, though schools are encouraged to engage with public issues through balanced discussions.