Haredi soldier Mendel Roth recounts a tense encounter during Selichot prayers, where young Hasidim defended him against extremists and expressed pride in his service.
At the Western Wall in Jerusalem, where thousands gather nightly for Selichot prayers, a quiet but symbolic confrontation unfolded Sunday night.
Mendel Roth, a Hasidic soldier serving in the IDF’s Hashmonaim Brigade, shared how a group of about ten Hasidic boys approached him with curiosity and admiration for his service.
“They gathered around me, showing interest in the brigade,” Roth recalled. “When extremists noticed, they tried to pull the boys away — but they refused to leave.”
The tension escalated when some of the zealots claimed a rabbi had issued a halachic ruling to expel Roth from the plaza. Yet instead of abandoning him, the boys stood by his side, hugging him in solidarity.
Roth then confronted the rabbi directly:
“I asked him, is it true that you commanded to expel a soldier who defends the people of Israel? He looked at me, surprised to see a Hasidic soldier with beard and sidelocks. He told me, ‘I didn’t say to throw you out… only not to talk to the boys.’”
Roth replied that the Hashmonaim Brigade is a holy brigade, rooted in Torah and holiness. Surrounded by extremists, the rabbi refused further discussion, turning his back toward the Wall.
Though shaken, Roth drew strength from the moment:
“I don’t think all the extremists are liars. Some are sincere, but misguided. Despite the storm, I came out stronger. I met a young Hasidic generation that listens to another voice, is inspired by a Hasidic soldier, and is not confused by the zealots’ screams. This is our next generation.”
In a city torn between faith, politics, and war, Roth’s story captured the clash between extremism and unity — and the hope that a new generation of Hasidic youth sees military service not as betrayal, but as sacred duty.
