Paratroopers Brigade, tech units, front-line ground troops – IDF expands ultra-Orthodox recruitment

Israel’s military kicks off new recruitment cycle for ultra-Orthodox sector with wider array of service options, from tech and logistics units to paratroopers and front-line ground forces.

By World Israel News Staff

The IDF began a new recruitment cycle for its ultra-Orthodox service tracks on Sunday, offering recruits positions ranging from frontline combat units in the Paratroopers Brigade and the Hasmonean Brigade to technological and logistics roles.

The military said the various programs are formally anchored in IDF regulations governing service for members of the ultra-Orthodox community, with accommodations intended to allow soldiers to maintain an ultra-Orthodox lifestyle during their service.

Several of the combat units now accepting ultra-Orthodox recruits have seen extensive operational service during the war, including deployments in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and Judea and Samaria.

Among them is the Hetz Company, an ultra-Orthodox combat company serving under the Paratroopers Brigade’s 202nd Battalion.

Candidates for Hetz undergo a dedicated selection process incorporating physical and personal assessments intended to identify recruits with the fitness, determination and motivation required for combat service in the Paratroopers.

During the war, the company operated in four separate combat theaters — Judea and Samaria, the Gaza Strip, Lebanon and Syria — making it the first ultra-Orthodox company to operate in all four arenas.

Its troops took part in offensive operations, arrests and border defense missions, as well as operations to recover the bodies of hostages from the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza.

The IDF has also continued developing the Hasmonean Brigade, established specifically to provide a broader combat framework for ultra-Orthodox soldiers.

The brigade’s first active-duty battalion, the Yonatan Battalion, has been operating in southern Lebanon for more than six months.

Its troops have operated in several areas under the IDF’s 300th and 679th territorial brigades, carrying out missions aimed at protecting communities in northern Israel and eliminating Hezbollah infrastructure.

According to the IDF, Yonatan troops have destroyed weapons depots and underground shafts used by Hezbollah and located and neutralized several loaded rocket launchers that were aimed toward Israeli territory.

The battalion also captured a member of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force, who was transferred to Israel for interrogation.

Meanwhile, the Hasmonean Brigade’s first reserve battalion, the Shimon Battalion, recently completed its initial formation and training period and is expected to begin operational activity in the northern sector during the upcoming Jewish holiday period.

The reserve unit includes graduates of the IDF’s Stage B program who previously received military-service exemptions but later enlisted in the reserves, as well as ultra-Orthodox soldiers who previously served in other IDF frameworks.

The battalion is also expected eventually to absorb graduates of the Hasmonean Brigade’s regular service track.

The brigade is simultaneously developing its command structure. Its fourth squad commanders course is now opening, while members of its first officers course are undergoing their corps-specific training in the IDF’s Gefen track.

Another major combat option is the Netzah Yehuda Battalion, the IDF’s first ultra-Orthodox battalion.

Netzah Yehuda was established in 1999 to allow ultra-Orthodox men to perform combat service under conditions designed to accommodate their religious lifestyle.

Its combat training lasts approximately eight months and includes basic and advanced infantry training culminating in Rifleman 07 qualification.

The battalion has operated in Gaza, Judea and Samaria and Lebanon during the war.

According to IDF figures, Netzah Yehuda soldiers have killed hundreds of terrorists, located weapons and participated in counterterrorism operations across the different fronts since the beginning of the war.

The battalion has also undergone a significant transformation in recent years, moving beyond its previous focus on routine security operations and developing into an infantry battalion capable of advanced independent maneuver warfare.

In recent months, Netzah Yehuda has been operating beyond Mount Hiram in the northern sector as part of the IDF’s continuing efforts to secure northern Israeli communities.

Not all of the ultra-Orthodox recruitment tracks are intended for combat soldiers.

The IDF is also offering specialized technological and logistics programs designed to provide ultra-Orthodox recruits with professional training while contributing to the military’s operational capabilities.

The Ma’alot Tzur program, which began in the Technology and Logistics Directorate, places ultra-Orthodox soldiers in technological and logistical positions and includes level 00 basic training.

The program is designed to allow participants to acquire professional skills while serving under conditions adapted to an ultra-Orthodox lifestyle.

The program has since expanded beyond the Technology and Logistics Directorate into additional IDF directorates and branches.

Project Yoav also places ultra-Orthodox recruits in technological and logistics positions while providing professional knowledge and practical experience.

The program includes level 02 basic training and is also structured around accommodations for an ultra-Orthodox lifestyle.

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