Prison 1000 initiative to fund families of Charedi draft evaders

A new community initiative named “Prison 1000” has been established to provide financial assistance to families of Charedi men detained by the IDF for refusing military enlistment orders. Under the program, families of eligible yeshiva students or scholars will receive a grant of NIS 1,000 for every day the individual spends in military custody.

The fund is designed as a mutual-aid model overseen by a committee of senior Charedi rabbinic judges and halachic authorities. Members contribute a monthly administrative fee of NIS 3, along with up to NIS 1 per day when an eligible participant is detained. The organizers stated that as participation increases, the individual daily burden on members is expected to decrease.

The financial support is intended to help families manage costs associated with arrests, such as legal consultations, travel for prison visits, and lost wages for family members. According to the program's regulations, which were prepared with legal assistance from the law firm Gedaliahu & Horowitz, the benefit applies specifically to unexpected arrests resulting from conscientious positions rather than those who voluntarily report to authorities.