Oct. 23 was a real nightmare for drivers in Jerusalem. Alongside demonstrations by the disabled and others, dozens of ultra-Orthodox Jews from the "Jerusalem faction" blocked the entrance to the city. They fought with the police and even shattered the windshield of an Egged bus.

The Jerusalem faction consists of ultra-Orthodox who split from the main Lithuanian faction five years ago. Their leader is Rabbi Shmuel Auerbach, who lives in Jerusalem — hence their name. The main debate between them and the rest of the ultra-Orthodox world is their refusal to show up in military recruitment centers to receive an exemption from military service. According to an arrangement with the Ministry of Defense, yeshiva students who declare that "Torah study is their profession" must show up at the recruitment centers to declare that they have devoted their lives to Torah study. Their enlistment is then deferred, and this effectively becomes an exemption.

When they reach draft age, most young ultra-Orthodox men do this. On the other hand, Rabbi Auerbach's followers, who constitute just a few percent of the 800,000 ultra-Orthodox Jews living in Israel (according to the Central Bureau of Statistics), claim that even going to the recruitment office is a violation of Jewish law. They call it a desecration of God's name and a waste of valuable time that could be used to study Torah. They are joined in their struggle by the Eida HaHaredit, who are considered anti-Zionist. The Eida HaHaredit also boycotts elections and considers the State of Israel and its leaders to be their enemies.

In September, ultra-Orthodox demonstrated against the Israel Defense Force's (IDF) arrest of a youngster who did not show up at the recruitment office and was thus classified as a deserter. In the past two weeks, the Jerusalem faction intensified its struggle following the arrest Oct. 16 of more yeshiva students. Demonstrations and the blocking of roads have since become an almost daily occurrence.