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Sunday, January 5, 2025
First 50 ultra-Orthodox soldiers draft to IDF’s new Haredi brigade
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleEmanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
The first 50 ultra-Orthodox soldiers drafted today to the IDF’s new Haredi brigade, known as the Hasmonean Brigade, the military says.
The soldiers will be part of the brigade’s first company.
Meanwhile, another 100 older Haredi men are being drafted into the Hasmonean Brigade’s first reserve company.
The reserve company is set to be made up of those who already completed the so-called Shlav Bet track, in which older people are put through two weeks of basic training before being sent to serve in noncombat roles. The reservists will now undergo an additional six-month combat training period before being sent to Hasmonean Brigade’s reserve company, according to the IDF.
Additional soldiers are expected to be drafted in the coming month, and join those who are beginning their training today.
The IDF says the recruitment of the 150 soldiers is a “significant milestone” in establishing the Hasmonean Brigade and “the process of expanding [the number of] members of the ultra-Orthodox community in IDF service, especially in light of the operational needs arising from the needs of the war.”
Ahead of the draft, the IDF says it carried out a “wide-ranging preparation process,” including recruiting staff for the brigade, renovating an old training base, and “adapting it to the ultra-Orthodox lifestyle.”
The first commander of the Haredi brigade is Col. Avinoam Emunah, an Orthodox senior officer.
The Times of Israel Community.