As Haredi enlistment grows, secular enlistment drops.
By Hezy Laing
Israel’s military establishment recorded an unprecedented surge in Haredi enlistment this week, with several hundred young Haredi men volunteering for combat units in a single day, according to figures released by the Israel Defense Forces.
The IDF’s Manpower Directorate, led by Maj. Gen. Yaniv Asor, described the turnout as “the largest spontaneous enlistment event among Haredi youth in years,” noting that the numbers exceeded typical monthly recruitment levels for the community.
The wave of enlistment follows months of public debate over the future of the Haredi draft exemption and comes amid growing internal shifts within ultra‑Orthodox society.
Organizations such as Netzah Yehuda, the IDF’s primary Haredi‑framework battalion, reported a sharp rise in inquiries, while officials in the Ministry of Defense said the trend reflects a broader generational change.
In 2023, approximately 1,200 Haredi men enlisted in the IDF.
In 2024, approximately 2,800 Haredi men enlisted in the IDF.
In 2025, approximately 3,300 Haredi men enlisted in the IDF.
The growth between 2024 and 2025 was about 18%.
A major factor behind the surge is the expanding network of pre‑military academies—known as mechinot—tailored for Haredi students. Institutions such as Mechinat Keshet Yehuda, Mechinat Beit Yatir, and the Jerusalem‑based Derech Chaim program have reported record enrollment.
The Council for Pre‑Military Academies stated that participation among Haredi youth has grown by more than 40% over the past three years, with many students citing a desire for national contribution, professional training, and greater integration into Israeli society.
Educators and community leaders note that these academies provide a structured environment that allows young men to strengthen religious study while preparing for military service.
Rabbi Tzvi Kustiner, who heads one of the largest mechinot, said the shift reflects “a growing sense of responsibility and confidence among young Haredi Israelis.”
Despite the media campaign portraying the Haredi population as the country’s worst draft evaders, the facts are much different.
Maj. Gen. (res.) Moti Almoz, who previously served as the head of the IDF Manpower Directorate, had noted that “draft evasion among the secular population is actually higher than among the Haredim.”
He said the public debate often focuses narrowly on the Haredi sector while overlooking broader social trends.
Almoz noted that thousands of secular Israelis either defer service, receive exemptions on various grounds, or simply do not complete the enlistment process, and he argued that the national conversation should reflect the full picture rather than a single community.
Secular male enlistment has fallen from roughly 70–72% in the early 2010s to around 55–58% by 2022–2023, according to figures presented to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee and data released by the IDF Manpower Directorate.
This means that more than four in ten secular draft‑eligible men now do not enter the IDF.
While secular enrollment drops, the IDF has reported double‑digit annual increases in Haredi enlistment since 2021.
As Maj. Gen. Asor noted, the trend suggests that “a growing segment of the Haredi community is choosing to take part in the shared burden of national service,” signaling a potential reconfiguration of one of Israel’s most sensitive social issues.
