The Shimon Battalion completed its first battalion-level exercise in the Golan Heights as the IDF works to expand recruitment among ultra-Orthodox men
By David Brummer
The Israel Defense Forces’ first reserve battalion in the ultra-Orthodox Hasmonean Brigade has completed its establishment and been declared ready for operational activity following a battalion-level exercise in the Golan Heights last week.
The Shimon Battalion, also known as Battalion 1200, is made up of Haredi reservists, including graduates of the IDF’s Stage B program. It is intended for older men who had previously received exemptions from military service, as well as Haredi soldiers who served in other military frameworks.
During the exercise, the battalion trained in open-terrain combat, raids and urban warfare. The soldiers also received training in demolitions, covering fire, drone operations, combat mobility, battlefield medicine and mortar use.
The troops completed full combat training at the Hasmonean Brigade’s training base, with the program adapted to the Haredi way of life. The battalion is also expected to take in graduates of the brigade’s standing army track in the future.
The Shimon Battalion is expected to be called up for operations in the northern sector in the coming months, including during the Jewish High Holiday period, according to the IDF.
The establishment of the battalion comes as the IDF seeks to increase the number of ultra-Orthodox men serving in the military amid manpower shortages caused by the ongoing war.
The Hasmonean Brigade is also intended to provide a framework in which Haredi soldiers can serve while maintaining an ultra-Orthodox lifestyle.
The brigade’s reserve battalion marks another step in the IDF’s effort to build dedicated military frameworks for ultra-Orthodox recruits while increasing the number of available combat troops.
