Hasmonean Brigade leader reveals secrets of Haredi draft: ‘The train has left the station’

Wasserman revealed that Hasmonean soldiers are currently outperforming elite units like Givati and Golani in physical fitness tests.

By JFeed

In a candid and unfiltered interview with Kikar HaShabbat, Elchanan Wasserman, the pivotal head of Haredi recruitment for the newly formed Hasmonean Brigade, opened up about the internal struggles, broken promises, and spiritual high stakes involved in integrating the ultra-Orthodox community into the IDF.

Wasserman, who previously left his post in frustration only to return for the current mission, provides a rare look into the brigade designed to ensure a soldier can enter the military as a Haredi Jew and leave with his spirituality intact.

The “Failure” of the Past vs. The Hasmonean Success

Wasserman did not hold back on why he initially walked away from the military’s recruitment efforts.

He admitted that, in the past, the IDF failed to keep its word to Haredi recruits.

“I refused to be a person who doesn’t stand behind his commitments,” Wasserman told interviewer Moshe Manes.

“The army worked on a model where you recruited a boy, handed him off, and the connection ended. They were promised things that never happened.”

Today, he claims the Hasmonean Brigade is a “success story by every metric” because the military has granted senior commanders a “free hand” to provide a complete envelope of religious support throughout the entirety of a soldier’s service.

Combat Prowess and Spiritual Discipline

Addressing the “million-dollar question,” whether the army can guarantee a soldier remains religious, Wasserman pushed back.

“Can the head of the Hebron Yeshiva guarantee that a boy will remain Haredi? At Hasmonean, the framework is tighter than a major Yeshiva. There is a schedule, discipline, and a rabbi for every company.”

Surprisingly, Wasserman revealed that Hasmonean soldiers are currently outperforming elite units like Givati and Golani in physical fitness tests.

He attributes this to the “devotion and directness” the recruits bring from their Haredi upbringing.

Key Insights from the Front Lines:

The Command Gap: Currently, most commanders are Religious Zionist (Dati Leumi). Wasserman notes a “language barrier” where these commanders are sometimes tougher on Haredi soldiers than a secular or Druze commander might be.

To solve this, the first Haredi officers course is currently underway.

Silent Rabbinical Support: Wasserman shared anecdotes of high-ranking rabbis, who publicly oppose the draft, telling specific students in closed-door meetings to enlist in the Hasmonean Brigade.

The “Shura” Camp Trauma: Having spent a year identifying bodies at the Shura base following October 7th, Wasserman spoke of the personal toll of the war, noting that the horrors he witnessed only deepened his resolve to build a defensive “wall” for the nation.

A New Era for the IDF

Wasserman’s vision for the future is clear: the military should not be a tool for modernization but a part of one’s service to God.

“The state is a tool that allows me to carry a weapon and defend myself,” he concluded. “The train has left the station; it cannot be stopped.”