IDF says 285 new ultra-Orthodox soldiers enlisted over the past week

A total of 285 members of the ultra-Orthodox community enlisted in the military over the past week, the IDF says.

The 285 young Haredi men have been placed in combat support roles, and over the next two months there will be additional draft days for ultra-Orthodox soldiers as part of the November-December enlistment period, including for combat units.

“The units and induction bases have prepared to receive the new recruits and provide the necessary framework to accommodate their way of life,” the army says.

The IDF says that it welcomes those joining its ranks and will continue working to expand the integration of ultra-Orthodox men into “meaningful military service, while preserving their way of life and out of a commitment to the security of the state and the resilience of Israeli society.”

The issue of draft exemptions for the ultra-Orthodox community has been a major source of political and social tension, as the IDF has repeatedly said it faces an urgent manpower deficit amid the multifront war of recent years, and resentment has grown among Israelis who perform mandatory and reserve service.

The IDF has created programs to accommodate Haredi soldiers, but many still oppose service, and the community’s leaders seek legislation to continue the broad exemptions that have been granted for decades.