Recruitment day for several ultra-Orthodox military tracks opens across Israel

Recruitment for the haredi (ultra-Orthodox) Hetz Company, Netzah Yehuda Battalion, and Hasmonaim Brigade is set to take place on Sunday, the IDF said.

All three units have been operating across multiple fronts throughout the ongoing war.

According to the military, while these recruitment tracks are intended for haredi soldiers, it is possible for ultra-Orthodox individuals to enlist in other officer and command tracks suitable for a more religious lifestyle.

Previously, on haredi recruitment days, protests have erupted at the Jerusalem and Tel Hashomer recruitment centers and the surrounding areas.

Currently, neither the Israel Police nor the IDF has announced special preparations or expected traffic delays for such an event.

The Hetz Company, which falls under the command of the Paratroopers Brigade, has operated in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, Lebanon, and Syria. 

Within the West Bank, soldiers of the Hetz Company have arrested dozens of suspects and located countless weapons and terror infrastructure. In the Gaza Strip, the company operating under the command of the IDF’s Division 252, aiding in holding the Yellow Line.

The company was formed to support the military’s operational efforts while maintaining the haredi lifestyle.

The Netzah Yehuda Battalion was the first Haredi battalion in the IDF, established to enable members of the haredi public to combine combat service with their religious lifestyle.

Throughout the war, Netzah Yehuda operated within the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, killing hundreds of terrorists on both fronts. In Gaza, soldiers from the battalion also destroyed over seven kilometers of an underground tunnel in Beit Hanoun.

Netzah Yehuda’s training includes both standard and advanced combat training, which lasts approximately eight months.

The Hasmonaim Brigade was the first haredi brigade in the IDF, and operated in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria throughout the war. In March, it completed its first missions in Lebanon.

Over the past two months, the brigade has operated in western Lebanon under the command of the IDF’s “Baram” Brigade 300, completing raids and destroying terror infrastructure.

Last week, the brigade arrested a terrorist from Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force and transferred them for further questioning inside Israel.

In addition to training infantry fighters, the brigade also offers a non-commissioned officer (NCO) course, a medic course, and a variety of other professional courses (including UAVs, drones, and more) at its primary training base.