First navy recruits from Israel’s ultra-Orthodox group report for responsibility

Israel this week began enlisting its first batch of recruits into the army’s new ultra-Orthodox brigade.

The move is intended to strike a delicate balance between meeting the manpower needs of a country at war and preserving the identity of the Haredi community, which has traditionally eschewed military service in favor of religious studies.

In June, Israel’s Supreme Court ruled the Haredi community has the same national service obligations as other Israeli citizens. The high court’s draft order prompted several demonstrations by ultra-Orthodox Israelis.

The initial 50 recruits will form the core of the first company in the Israel Defense Forces’ new Hashmonaim Brigade. On Sunday, IDF officials said they expect to enlist at least 100 additional Haredi troops for reserve duty by the end of the day.

“The two companies enlisted today mark the initial step in establishing the ultra-orthodox brigade, a significant milestone in expanding the service of the ultra-Orthodox sector in the IDF, particularly in light of the operational needs arising from the demands of the war,” the IDF posted on its Telegram social media page.

The creation of the Hashmonaim Brigade is the culmination of an extensive preparation process, including identifying and training personnel, adapting army policies and renovating the training base to accommodate the strict religious practices of the new Haredi recruits, IDF officials said.

New recruit Moishy Weiner told the Jerusalem Post that he wanted to delay military service until he could be part of the new ultra-orthodox brigade.

“I want to enlist and contribute like everyone else, but it’s important to me that it’s in a place that suits me, where I can feel at home,” Mr. Weiner said.

Israel is looking to add draft-age ultra-Orthodox Jews to the depleted military ranks after more than a year of heavy combat in the Gaza Strip and ramped-up military operations in Lebanon. The decision has been deeply unpopular in some parts of the Haredi community, which forms a critical part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing coalition.