More than 4,200 Haredi men enlisted in the IDF in the latest recruitment year, a 53% increase that includes hundreds of men entering combat roles.
By Hezy Laing
For years there was unwritten rule in Israeli society – the secular would avoid Judaism and the Ultra-Orthodox would avoid the army. But as Israel continues to fight on multiple fronts, a growing number are choosing to put on a uniform, including men who once believed that serving in the army and maintaining a strictly religious lifestyle were incompatible.
The change is reflected in the latest recruitment figures. During the July 2025–June 2026 recruitment year, 4,298 Haredi men enlisted, compared with 2,811 in the previous year, an increase of approximately 53%.
The figures, presented by the IDF in August 2026, represent the highest annual total in recent years. They also reflect a significant change in one of Israel’s most sensitive social and security debates.
A growing willingness to serve
The increase is not simply the result of changing attitudes among young Haredi men. The expansion of military frameworks adapted to religious requirements, increased enforcement of draft obligations and the removal of certain economic benefits for those who fail to enlist have all contributed to the rise.
According to the IDF’s detailed breakdown, approximately 69% of the recruits entered dedicated Haredi service tracks. Among those who had completed the screening and placement process, 22.4% were assigned to combat positions, while others entered technological, combat-support and training roles.
Three men who chose a different path
Behind the statistics are individual stories of men who made decisions that would have been unusual in their communities just a few years ago.
One particularly moving example is Sergeant M., who grew up in a Haredi family and never expected to join the military. His decision changed after his close friend, Sergeant Nahman Dekel, was killed defending the Sufa military post during the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.
“We were a group of eight to 10 friends from our community, and some of us were strongly opposed to enlistment until then,” he told Ynet. “That event shook us. After it happened, we decided to enlist and carry on his legacy.”
Sergeant M. subsequently joined the Netzah Yehuda Battalion and served in northern Gaza. His parents initially worried about the religious implications of his decision, but he later described feeling at peace with his choice and enjoying the opportunity to return home for Shabbat and study Torah.
Another example is Haim Treitel, a Haredi soldier who enlisted in the Givati Brigade after relinquishing his status as a yeshiva student. During operational activity in Gaza, he was wounded in the leg, underwent a lengthy recovery and returned to military service.
Treitel recalled that a soldier at the Tel Hashomer recruitment office had questioned whether he understood the consequences of giving up his yeshiva status. His answer, after two years of service, was clear: “I don’t regret it for a moment.”
His commitment continued beyond his return from injury. Treitel later became an assistant to the head of the IDF’s Haredi branch in the Manpower Division, helping with the integration of other religious soldiers.
A third story demonstrates that enlistment is not limited to young men just leaving yeshiva. Yochanan Chait joined the Hasmonean Brigade at the age of 36, despite being married with four children.
Chait completed six months of full infantry training, meeting the demanding Rovai 07 standard. The experience meant spending much of the week away from his family, leaving his wife to shoulder much of the responsibility at home.
He explained that he and his wife spoke to their children about the decision in simple terms: “We’re part of the Jewish people.” After completing his training, Chait took on a role as a company rabbi in the brigade’s reserve framework, accompanying soldiers during their service.
Building a combat force that respects religious life
One of the most important developments behind the recruitment increase is the establishment of the Hasmonean Brigade, the IDF’s dedicated Haredi combat formation.
The brigade began recruiting its first regular-service soldiers on January 5, 2025, when approximately 50 men joined its initial company. Another group of older Haredi men began forming its first reserve company, with plans for six months of infantry training.
The idea is to provide a genuine combat framework in which soldiers can maintain their religious observance while undergoing demanding military training. Arrangements include kosher food, opportunities for daily prayer and Torah study, and a military environment designed around Haredi religious requirements.
The Netzah Yehuda Battalion remains another important pathway into combat service. Its soldiers have served in operational assignments in Judea and Samaria and Gaza, providing an established route for Haredi men seeking a military career.
These frameworks are particularly important for families concerned that military service could undermine their sons’ religious identity. They offer an alternative in which military responsibility and a strictly observant lifestyle can exist side by side.
A change that is still unfolding
The recruitment increase has taken place alongside an intensifying debate within the Haredi community. Leading rabbinical and political figures continue to oppose forced enlistment of Torah scholars, while some families and young men are increasingly willing to consider military service.
The government’s enforcement measures have also played a role, making it important not to portray the increase as a complete transformation in community attitudes. The latest figures reflect a combination of personal decisions, military accommodation and growing pressure to fulfill draft obligations.
The paths taken by Sergeant M., Haim Treitel and Yochanan Chait were very different. One was moved by the death of a close friend, another was wounded while serving in Gaza, and a third left his family for months to complete infantry training at the age of 36.
Their experiences illustrate a growing willingness among some Haredi Israelis to take personal responsibility for the country’s defense. Whether this develops into a lasting transformation across the community remains to be seen, but the men already serving are demonstrating that religious commitment and military service can go hand in hand.
