The chairman of the advisory committee of the Netzach Yehuda association, philanthropist David Hager, received the 2023 volunteer award from President Yitzchak Herzog on Wednesday for his work in integrating the Haredi community into the IDF and Israeli society.
President Herzog told Hager, his family, and close friends, “David Hager dedicates his time, funds, and energy fto the Haredi soldiers and the integrating Haredi society into the IDF and Israeli society. Thousands of Haredi soldiers who are in the army and the society at large today owe their great success in all areas of life to him.”
Hagar, 64, was born and raised in Jerusalem, and more than 20 years ago was one of the founders of the Nahal Haredi 97th battalion known as Netzah Yehuda. Since then, he has been devoted to the building and promotion of the Netzah Yehuda association, which supports Haredi soldiers in the IDF and later works to integrate Haredi veterans into society. The community of Haredi veterans currently numbers around 16,000 individuals who are part of Israel’s society and economy, and all areas of life.
Also present at the award ceremony were current and former IDF senior officers, philanthropist Miriam Adelson, Maj. Gen. Moti Almoz.
David Hager said: “I thank President Herzog for the recognition and his work and the long-standing partnership. For more than two decades now, I have been getting up every morning knowing that I have a responsibility to those Haredi men who chose to enlist and combine Torah, the army, and work, and I wish to continue helping them integrate into all areas. In these days of polarization and the deepening of the Israeli internal rift, the Haredi fighters serve as a bridge and an example of a life of unity.”
