Airport Drama: 42 Chabad Bochurim Arrested Upon Arriving in Eretz Yisroel – 40 Released Hours Later

A strategic plan by anti-draft askanim to bring the bochurim home on a single flight proved highly successful, with weeks of preparation and legal guidance expediting their release.

A dramatic scene unfolded early Tuesday morning at Ben Gurion Airport when 42 Chabad bochurim returning to Eretz Yisroel were arrested upon landing. The bochurim, who had spent the past two years learning at 770 in Crown Heights, were detained by military authorities and classified as mishtamtim (draft evaders). B'chasdei Hashem, after several tense hours, 40 of the bochurim were released, while two were transferred to a military prison.

The mass return was not a coincidence, but the result of months of intensive planning by the "Hatzalah Migiyus" organization. Over the past few months, askanim from the organization visited various Chabad yeshivos to provide legal and practical hadrachah (guidance) to hundreds of bochurim. On Chof Vov Av, a large gathering was held at 770 in Crown Heights for nearly 100 bochurim who were preparing to return home.

In the weeks that followed, askanim worked closely with the bochurim and their parents to coordinate a strategic plan: the bochurim would all fly back together. The goal was to overwhelm the military authorities with a large group, creating a logistical headache that would pressure them into releasing the bochurim quickly, while also providing the boys with strength in numbers in the event of an arrest.

The strategy was put to the test on Tuesday morning. Immediately after landing, the bochurim were pulled aside into a separate room at the airport and subsequently transported to the Tel Hashomer induction center (Bakum). Back at the airport, a large crowd of anxious family members and friends waited to catch a glimpse of the boys. Hatzalah Migiyus representatives were on the scene to support and guide the families, while askanim immediately dispatched an experienced lawyer to Tel Hashomer to advocate for the bochurim and expedite their release.

Inside the induction center, military officials applied heavy pressure on the bochurim, utilizing both threats and promises. However, fortified by the extensive hadrachah they had received, the bochurim remained steadfast and refused to compromise. After just a few hours, 40 of the bochurim were released. The remaining two bochurim, who had been classified as mishtamtim for a longer period of time, were transferred to a military prison to await a hearing. Askanim are continuing to work tirelessly to secure their release.

In the days following their release, Hatzalah Migiyus hosted additional hadrachah shiurim for the bochurim, led by prominent askan Reb Binyomin Tepp, to ensure they have the continued guidance needed to navigate their legal status.

The incident is being hailed as a massive success for the askanim. Thanks to months of careful planning and preparation, the vast majority of the bochurim were able to return home to their families on the very same day, avoiding prolonged detention.