How a Shabbat protest revealed Israel's growing religious-secular divide

A recent Shabbat protest in Jerusalem highlighted Israel's growing religious-secular divide. Approximately 50 Haredi men and children protested Cafe Basimta for operating on Shabbat, chanting "Shabbos" and disrupting residents. In response, neighbors retaliated by throwing garbage, fruit, spices, and water at the protesters. The situation escalated when cafe-goers, reportedly by Channel 12, began shouting "Enlist" at the Haredi men, linking the protest to the contentious issue of Haredi military conscription. The article notes the IDF's shortage of 12,000 soldiers and that an estimated 80,000 men, many Haredi, are not enlisting, viewing the draft as an "existential threat." The author, a new immigrant, observed that both sides demonstrated a lack of respect, with the protest revealing a deep societal rift.