Over 530 haredi (ultra orthodox men) enlisted in the IDF on Sunday in the military’s largest single-day haredi enlistment to date, the military announced on Monday.
Sunday’s enlistment brings the total of haredi soldiers enlisted in the IDF up to over 3,000 over the past year, an improvement to Haredi draft numbers but still falling short of a 10,000 soldier goal.
Of the newly drafted soldiers, 230 joined combat units and 307 joined combat support units, according to an IDF statement.
The head of the IDF’s Human Resources Department, Maj.-Gen. Dado Bar Khalifa visited the Tel Hashomer Recruitment Office to speak to the new recruits about the significance of contribution to Israel’s national security.
Bar Khalifa shared that many years earlier, he was in the same position as the new recruits. “Thirty years ago, I sat here myself… with the same fear that accompanies you at the beginning of this new chapter in your lives,” Bar Khalifa said.
“You are going to do great things for the security of the people of Israel and the state,” he encouraged, adding that the IDF will “not compromise on [allowing] you to fulfill your duty to protect the state while maintaining your Torah world and the spirit of Halacha.”
Bar Khalifa told the soldiers that they are “pioneers,” stating that many others will follow in their footsteps.
IDF expanding efforts to draft haredim
As the IDF struggles to hit haredi enlistment goals, the military announced that it is making efforts to “expand the scope of recruitment from among the haredi public.”
Measures intended to allow haredi recruits to serve “meaningful service while fully maintaining their lifestyle” include “establishing new dedicated frameworks, holding exposure and information conferences, and making adjustments in training and during service,” the IDF said.