National service is an alternative community service option for Israeli youth who, because of religious, moral or medical reasons, do not wish to or cannot serve in the Israeli military. Women often opt for this service, especially religious Jewish Israeli women. It is important to note that Israeli youth who choose to not serve in the Israeli military as conscientious objectors have served time in prison before going into their national service. Proposals by parliamentary representatives in 2008 suggested legislation that would make national or community service compulsory for Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel, who are for the most part exempt from military service. This proposed legislation was not instituted as law, though it caused major controversies in the Palestinian Arab community in Israel. See Sherer, Moshe. “National Service in Israel: Motivations, Volunteer Characteristics, and Levels of Content.” Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly. Vol. 33, No. 94 (2004), pp. 94-108; and Stern, Yoav. “Opposition to national service in Israel’s Arab sector is bitter.” Haaretz. 8 April 2008. http://www.haaretz.com/news/opposition-to-national-service-in-israel-s-arab-sector-is-bitter-1.243528.  http://www.justvision.org/glossary/israeli-national-service