Quietly it has been building momentum, but it is now in full swing. Perhaps Elazar Stern is responsible for making it respectable, but, as unbelievable as it sounds, attacking Hesder yeshiva students as army shirkers is now the "in thing" for the left.

The Hesder program is a 5 (or 6) year program.

Generally it consists of a year of yeshiva learning, and then between 16 months to 24 months of active army service (depending on the Yeshiva) and the remaining time back again in yeshiva, alternatively, the 16-24 months are broken up into 2 periods. And regardless, during the yeshiva stints there is a minimum of one month of reserve duty every year (beyond the active service) and sometimes more.

Almost all Hesder students go (and want to go) into top combat units (not “jobnicks” or desk jockies - compared to a mere 40% of secular enlistees who want to serve in a combat unit), and Hesder soldiers have been traditionally recognized as among the best and most highly motivated soldiers by just about everyone.

A good number of Hesder students go on to officer school and sign on for even more time, and I’ve even met a Hesder pilot (but his service terms were different).

Furthermore, an unusually high percentage of Hesder graduates tend to continue (and show up for) their reserve duties in combat units – not shirking it, unlike some other demographic groups we won’t mention.

But suddenly, now Hesder are shirkers - this coming from people who probably spent their army service lounging around in the Kirya Alazorov Shopping Center.

It’s unbelievable.