Israeli Military Begins Enlisting Ultra-Orthodox Recruits into Newly Formed Brigade

The Israeli military has inducted the first group of approximately 50 recruits into its newly established ultra-Orthodox brigade, following a contentious decision to end their long-standing exemption from service.

By the end of the day, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that around 100 additional ultra-Orthodox recruits would be enlisted for reserve duty.

These two companies represent the first step in forming the ultra-Orthodox brigade, marking a key milestone in increasing the participation of the ultra-Orthodox community in the IDF, especially in response to the operational demands of the ongoing war, the IDF stated.

Israel has turned to ultra-Orthodox (or Haredi) Jews of military age amid the strain on its military from over a year of war against Hamas, Hezbollah, and other Iran-backed groups in the region.

In June, Israel’s Supreme Court ruled that ultra-Orthodox Jews could no longer be exempt from military service, ending an exemption that had been in place since Israel’s founding.

The decision has sparked significant opposition from the ultra-Orthodox community, whose support is crucial to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing coalition.

Thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews have protested the draft, with some even refusing to comply. In November, the Israeli military issued over 1,100 arrest warrants for conscripts who failed to respond to the draft.

The majority of ultra-Orthodox Jews do not serve in Israel's mandatory military service. Many Haredi men devote their early years to religious study at yeshivas, which they consider essential to preserving Judaism and equally vital to Israel’s defense.

However, many Israelis believe all Jewish citizens should serve in the military, particularly during wartime.

The IDF announced on Sunday that it would continue recruiting additional recruits throughout the month, alongside those already undergoing basic training.

An extensive preparation process was carried out to establish the brigade, including identifying and training personnel, adapting policies, and renovating the training base to accommodate the ultra-Orthodox lifestyle, the IDF said.