IDF enlistment data shows most soldiers are not from the periphery

Cities around Israel were scored out of 100 on their enlistment data and split according to size and men and women.

 FRIENDS AND family say goodbye as soldiers enlist in the IDF at the Tel Hashomer induction center. (photo credit: TOMER NEUBERG/FLASH90)
FRIENDS AND family say goodbye as soldiers enlist in the IDF at the Tel Hashomer induction center.
(photo credit: TOMER NEUBERG/FLASH90)

Data released by the IDF on Sunday regarding enlistment numbers in cities around the country shows that the assumptions that only people from the periphery are enlisting are false.

The cities were split into groups by size and given a score out of 100 based on their enlistment rates. The score was made up of the percentage of enlisters, the number of soldiers who became officers and the number of enlisters who served in combat (for men) or considered their service to be meaningful (women). Scores were awarded separately for men and women.

The data was collected based on enlisters who were born in 2000.

The highest score among the big cities (over 500 potential enlisters) was 82.28 for men and 81.44 for women, both of which were in Modiin Macabim Reut. The city also rated first in enlisters who became officers with a percentage of 13.1 for men and 10.4 for women. 

In medium cities (potential of 250-500), the highest score went to Nes Ziyona for both men and women with scores of 84.29 and 83.83 respectively.

CONSCRIPTS PUT tags on their bags before being transported to their assigned bases from the Tel Hashomer IDF Recruitment Center near Tel Aviv. (credit: GIL COHEN MAGEN/REUTERS)
CONSCRIPTS PUT tags on their bags before being transported to their assigned bases from the Tel Hashomer IDF Recruitment Center near Tel Aviv. (credit: GIL COHEN MAGEN/REUTERS)

Among the small cities (100-250), the highest score went to Givat Shmuel for men with a score of 84.6 and Kiryat Ono for women with a score of 84.1. Among men, Kiryat Ono ranked third, and among women, Givat Shmuel did not rate in the top 10, but it did rate the best around the country in enlisters who became officers with 16.6% of the men.

The highest score around the country went to the Ramat Hanegev Regional Council with a score of 85.67 for men, but it did not rate in the top 10 for women.

The leading city in combat percentages was Jerusalem in which 59% of its enlisters go into combat.

The schools with the highest scores were both religious. The best score (91.03%) went to the Shaked Darka girls' school in Sde Eliyahu, and the second-best (91.01%) was the High School for Environmental Education for boys.