Baltimore has traditionally been a Jewish community with a high degree of “Am Yisrael consciousness.” Its flagship yeshiva, Ner Israel, represented the moderate American yeshiva community. Yet an interesting letter just came out of Baltimore. R. Aharon Feldman, rosh yeshivah of Ner Israel, wrote it, and it was co-signed by the more zealous of the charedi rabbinic leadership of the US. But first, some background:

The IDF has a desperate need for at least 15,000 soldiers, most of whom need to be co...