'Blood on their hands': Top Modern Orthodox rabbi says haredim must serve in the IDF

In this conversation with The Jerusalem Post's senior field reporter Sam Halpern, Rabbi Dr. Kenneth Brander, President of Ohr Torah Stone, opens up about the haredi draft, women in combat, the Jerusalem Day flag march, and the dangerous misuse of the term "Amalek." Anchored by the death of Maj. (res.) Itamar Sapir, the 26th OTS alumnus killed in the war , Brander argues that religious Jews who refuse to enlist are violating Jewish law, rejects the phrase "settler violence" while condemning the "1% of 1%" who cross the line, and says flatly, citing the Talmud, that there is no longer a nation of Amalek. Brander leads a 32-institution Modern Orthodox network whose students and faculty are serving at extraordinary rates. His son has done over 400 days of reserve duty. He speaks not as an outside critic but as someone whose community is bearing the cost. Chapters 00:00 – Cold open 00:35 – Meet Rabbi Dr. Kenneth Brander 00:57 – Mourning Maj. (res.) Itamar Sapir 01:39 – The haredi draft as a Jewish law issue 07:50 – "Some of them have blood on their hands" 09:28 – Women in combat: "the train has left the station" 13:19 – The Jesus statue in Lebanon, and interfaith ethics 25:12 – Why one OTS school reroutes the flag march 30:33 – Settler violence and "the 1% of 1%" 34:06 – The dangerous misuse of "Amalek" 42:27 – Mental health: 26 fallen, 39 relatives, a community in trauma 51:01 – Closing ________________ More from The Jerusalem Post: http://www.jpost.com Facebook:   / thejerusalempost   Twitter:   / jerusalem_post   Instagram:   / thejerusalem_post