The lion’s share of students who attend Hesder Yeshiva programs — yeshiva army programs in which students integrate Torah studies with army service — ultimately join combat units, according to the IDF.
Among this week’s recruits, 85 percent of the new soldiers are destined to join various combat units throughout the Israeli army, Arutz Sheva reports.
A minimum medical profile of “85” out of a total of 100 (for Jewish recruits, two points are deducted for ritual circumcision, actually) is required in order to be accepted to a combat unit.
Units available to these soldiers include the Golani and Kefir Brigades, Armored Corps, Netzach Yehuda (Nahal Haredi), Paratroopers Brigade, Combat Engineering Corps, Israel Navy, and other units considered classified.
Hesder yeshivas participating in this round of enlistment include those at Ra’anana, Otniel, Beit Orot, Dimona, Yafo (Jaffa), Yeruham, Yeshivat HaKotel (Jerusalem), Akko (Acco), Itamar, Kerem B’Yavne, Ma’alot, Karnei Shomron, Kiryat Shmona, Afikei Da’at (Sderot), Sha’alvim, Shadmot Mehola, and Or Etzion.
Soldiers whose medical profiles restrict them from combat units are given the opportunity to enlist in the intelligence units, IDF Rabbinate and Human Resources (manpower), among other units.
“The Hesder Yeshiva Union is proud of March 2017’s new soldiers. We are proud of our students who learn in yeshiva, but still do significant IDF service, and we wish them much success in the army,” said Hesder Yeshiva Union Head Shmuel Yaslazon.
“We believe serving in the Israeli army is a commandment from God, just like learning Torah in yeshiva is. It is a great privilege to learn Torah, and it is a great privilege to serve in the IDF,” added Karnei Shomron Hesder Yeshiva dean Eli Cohen.
The new recruits sang and danced with their yeshiva deans at the enlistment ceremony.