2 arrested in Bnei Brak amid rioting at building housing ultra-Orthodox IDF program

Dozens of ultra-Orthodox men and boys tried on Wednesday to break into a Bnei Brak office building that houses a Defense Ministry training program for Haredi soldiers who go on to serve in technological roles in the military. Footage shared online showed people inside the building on the city’s Masada Street standing guard by the doors, as security and police scuffled with the protesters outside. Israel Police said they arrested two people at the site and took them into custody for questioning. The disruption was eventually quelled, police said. There were no reports of injuries. The ultra-Orthodox community has historically shunned army service, claiming military life is at odds with their religious culture and practices. The IDF has created programs to accommodate Haredi soldiers, but many still oppose service, and the community’s leaders seek legislation to continue broad exemptions that have been granted for decades. Haredi protest rallies, which sometimes turn violent, have been held at various locations around the country. Get The Times of Israel's Daily Edition by email and never miss our top stories Newsletter email address Get it By signing up, you agree to the terms The Kodcode program trains ultra-Orthodox men aged 23 or above who are not combat-fit to instead serve in software and cyber-related roles in the Israel Defense Forces, including intelligence units. עשרות מפגינים חרדים מנסים לפרוץ כעת לבסיס באזור בני ברק בו משרתת יחידה טכנולוגית חרדית pic.twitter.com/sT0LmgSEAJ — דניאל גרובייס Daniel Grovais (@daniel_grovais) October 14, 2026 Advertisement Soldiers participating in the training program are located on one of the floors of the office building in Bnei Brak, a city with a largely Haredi population. Some of the rioters were able to enter the building, damaging doors, but did not succeed in reaching the area where the soldiers are located, the report said. A security guard at the building told the outlet that the situation developed very quickly. “In a moment they arrived,” said the man, who was not named. He noted that it was not the first time that there have been protests at the building. Every year, the Kodcode program invites hundreds of potential candidates to serve. Those who are accepted do not wear IDF uniforms, but anti-enlistment Haredi movements campaign against it as it offers training that participants could use later in life to join the workforce, the outlet said. The Haredi community envisions men in full-time Torah study rather than working, relying on heavy state subsidies for livelihood. In September, the coalition member Agudat Yisrael party’s Council of Torah Sages steering committee issued a sharp condemnation of the Kodcode program. The leading rabbis declared that, along with a similar IDF program for Haredi men, it seeks “to change the essence and spirit of the Haredi public.” Advertisement Shas chairman Aryeh Deri attends a vote in the Knesset in Jerusalem on July 16, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90) On Wednesday, Shas leader Aryeh Deri said that his ultra-Orthodox party would not join or support the next government unless it passes legislation preserving the sweeping military service exemptions for Haredi yeshiva students. The election is scheduled for October 27. The High Court of Justice has repeatedly pressed the government to enforce Haredi enlistment after its 2024 ruling that there was no legal basis for blanket exemptions for yeshiva students. In July, the court froze legislation passed by the coalition that would have barred the arrest of Haredi draft dodgers for seven months. Ultra-Orthodox leaders argue that compulsory military service threatens their religious way of life and the continuation of full-time Torah study. The issue has remained a major source of political and social tension and emerged as a central issue ahead of the October election, as the IDF has repeatedly noted its manpower deficit amid the multifront war, and resentment has grown among Israelis who perform mandatory and reserve service. Some 80,000 ultra-Orthodox men aged between 18 and 24 are currently believed to be eligible for military service, but have not enlisted. The IDF has said it urgently needs 12,000 recruits, due to the strain on standing and reserve forces during the ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza and other military challenges. Overall, around 2,700 Haredim in total joined the army over the past year. 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