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national service

Participants on a Green Horizons hike in Israel, in an undated photo. (Courtesy of Green Horizons)
October 4, 2025, 11:49 am
With Israeli youth at a crossroads after Oct. 7, some turn to hiking to help find their path
As Israel reels from unprecedented trauma, young people are finding strength and meaning on the country’s trails where recent horrors are put in perspective within the history of the Land
By Tania Shalom Michaelian
Edna Hefer cuddles with Messiah the donkey in the petting zoo of Kibbutz Nahal Oz, southern Israel, January 16, 2025. (Sue Surkes/Times of Israel)
February 4, 2025, 8:48 am
Kickin’ it old school: Retirees rediscover youth with national service year for over-50s
A pilot project running in two regional councils near the Gaza border is matching local needs with the experience and skills of people around retirement age
By Sue Surkes
Orthodox women do their national service at the maternity department at a hospital in Jerusalem, October 28, 2010. (Abir Sultan/FLASH90)
September 7, 2024, 7:09 am
Meet the young men and women performing 38 million hours of national service a year
With 19,000 volunteers from across Israeli society, Sherut Leumi has in recent years transformed into a source of highly-skilled help in fields like health, tech and education
By Aviva Bar-Am
File: Police use a water cannon to disperse a protest against the arrest of a yeshiva student who failed to comply with an IDF conscription order, at the entrance to Jerusalem, on March 23, 2017. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
April 20, 2023, 11:16 am
How to heal a rift: Don’t exclude Haredim from IDF; include them in national service
As with the judicial overhaul, the looming tragedy of an ultra-Orthodox exemption law is exacerbated by the fact that a win-win alternative is staring our legislators in the face
By David Horovitz
Illustrative: Jewish religious women do their national service at the maternity department at a hospital in Jerusalem. October 28, 2010. (Abir Sultan/FLASH90)
November 29, 2021, 6:59 pm
After hiking IDF salaries by 50%, Israel takes same step with national service
Volunteers doing civilian alternative to military service will get raise in January; Liberman: ‘We’ll continue to express our appreciation for those who serve’
By ToI Staff
IGY (Israel Gay Youth) participants. (courtesy)
July 2, 2021, 10:50 am
Podcast: Gay Israeli youth make societal change through IDF, national service
What opportunities do Israel’s young LGBTQ+ have after high school? We speak with Rom Ohayon from Israel Gay Youth to find out
By ToI Staff
Illustrative: People wearing face masks at the Ben Gurion International Airport on March 10, 2020. (Avshalom Sassoni/ Flash90)
March 12, 2020, 5:59 am
2,000 Israeli national service women to return from overseas amid virus outbreak
As alternative to serving in military, many post-high school Orthodox girls perform civic duties, including working with Jewish schools abroad; move taken to ensure their safety
By PHILISSA CRAMER and Ben Harris
During Superstorm Sandy Cpt. Dana Hall served as the Commander for Mission Execution. She and her team worked out of a SUNY college building. (Courtesy/ Cpt. Dana Hall)
January 12, 2020, 11:56 pm
From Ebola to hurricanes, mom in uniform keeps people safe while keeping kosher
As an officer in the US Public Health Service, Cpt. Dana Hall provides disaster relief to victims the world over, and is the only Orthodox woman in the 6,500-strong force
By Cathryn J. Prince
Illustrative: Jewish religious women do their national service at the maternity department at a hospital in Jerusalem. October 28, 2010. (Abir Sultan/FLASH90)
May 12, 2019, 5:37 pm
Women from abroad volunteering for national service now have support program
Launched by Nefesh B’Nefesh, Ori will provide lone ‘bnot sherut’ with guidance, social programming, advocacy, a help desk and crisis support
By Marcy Oster
Illustrative photo of religious girls at study. (Moshe Shai/Flash90)
February 14, 2018, 9:12 am
Religious girls protest pressure to join Israeli military
Campaign follows Education Ministry proposal to fund groups that guide religious women who want to join the IDF
By JTA
Joshua Hammerman
May 5, 2017, 3:51 pm
Joshua Hammerman
Let all Jews vote in Israeli elections
He’s worked out almost all the details to unify Israel and the Diaspora — Step 1: Make world Jewry citizens of Israel
Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein (R) speaks with MK David Bitan at the Knesset, January 18, 2017. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
March 26, 2017, 6:43 am
Law and behold: The legislation that survived winter in the Knesset
As MKs go on break, here are the bills that passed – from legalizing outposts to lengthening maternity leave – and those that died before they hit the floor
By Marissa Newman
Joint (Arab) List MKs Ayman Odeh (left), Masud Ghnaim (center) and Jamal Zahalqsa (right) attend a conference on volunteerism in Kfar Qassem on March 4, 2017. (Courtesy)
March 8, 2017, 4:20 am
In first, Arab Israeli leaders back nationwide volunteer program
Joint List MKs give their blessing to volunteerism initiative that is not connected to the army or government, but puts local Arab councils in charge
By Dov Lieber
Likud MK Amir Ohana attends a Knesset debate on December 28, 2016. (Miriam Alster/FLASH90)
December 28, 2016, 5:41 pm
Bill barring national service at left-wing NGOs passes first Knesset vote
Likud-proposed legislation comes after Israeli human rights group B’Tselem criticizes Israel’s settlement policy at UN
By Tamar Pileggi
An illustrative photo of then IDF Chief Rabbi Brig. Gen. Rafi Peretz, left, with Sephardi Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef on October 31, 2013 (Yonatan Sindel/ Flash 90)
December 11, 2016, 9:57 pm
Sephardic chief rabbi: Women may not serve in IDF, perform national service
Echoing position by his late father, ex-chief rabbi Ovadiah Yosef, Yitzhak Yosef says mandatory draft, volunteer work forbidden
By ToI Staff
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