The Israel Defense Forces marked on Monday the largest recruitment day to date of young ultra-Orthodox men to their designated units.
In total, 537 soldiers joined the military, 230 as combat soldiers and 307 as combat-support personnel in a wide range of roles, the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said in a statement.
The enlistment process of the December-January cycle will be completed in the coming days, according to the army.
The IDF Manpower Directorate’s head, Maj. Gen. Dado Bar Kalifa, spoke on Monday with the new enlistees at the Tel Hashomer induction base in Ramat Gan about the significance of their service and the contribution to the country’s security at this moment in time.
“Thirty years ago, I myself sat here, in this very chair you are sitting in, with the same apprehension that accompanies you at the start of this new chapter in your lives,” Kalifa was quoted by the IDF as saying.
“You are about to do noble things for the security of the people of Israel and the state. We have an opportunity to change and to repair, but on one thing we will stand firm and not compromise: enabling you to fulfill your duty to defend the state while preserving your Torah world… Operational necessity requires us to fill the ranks—you are the trailblazers, and many more will follow after you,” the officer added.
The Israeli military went on to state that it continues to expand enlistment from the Haredi community, including through the expansion of existing tracks, the establishment of new designated frameworks, the holding of outreach and informational conferences, and adjustments to training and service conditions.
“The new soldiers were assigned to a variety of units that enable meaningful service while fully preserving their way of life,” the IDF said.
The recruitment of members of the ultra-Orthodox community has been a major source of political debate and turmoil in the country. Israeli men and women are compelled by law to draft into the military, but the Haredi community has received a temporary exemption with the inception of the state, which has since become the status quo.
In 2017, Israel’s High Court of Justice ruled in an unprecedented decision that the exemption was unlawful and violated the principle of equality.
A new army enlistment law has been on the cards ever since, with Haredi parties threatening to leave the coalition if the legislation does not codify the exemption.
