Israeli officials are grappling with the ongoing challenge of integrating the Haredi community into military service, as new data reveals minimal enlistment despite mass draft orders.
The Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom has published new data from the Israeli army highlighting significant difficulties in recruiting members of the Haredi (ultra-orthodox) community. According to the report, only 177 individuals have enlisted out of 10,000 recruitment orders issued since July 2024, amounting to just 1.77%.
These figures were presented last week during a meeting of the Israeli Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, where officials discussed the challenges of Haredi conscription—one of the most contentious issues in Israeli society.
Lt. Col. Avigdor Dickstein, responsible for promoting Haredi recruitment into the Israeli army, stated that between July 2024 and March 2025, 10,000 initial draft orders were sent to members of the Haredi community. However, only 177 individuals have enlisted so far.
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Dickstein further noted that the army had issued 2,231 second draft notices to those who ignored the initial call-up and more than 1,000 “arrest orders” for draft evaders. However, he clarified that the military police do not intend to carry out arrests immediately but will wait until the individuals in question are officially designated as “draft evaders.”
As of now, 265 Haredim have been officially classified as draft evaders, meaning they could face penalties such as travel bans or arrest if confronted by law enforcement.
Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara has warned Defense Minister Yisrael Katz that the recruitment targets have not been met and that he is legally obligated to increase the number of Haredi recruits.
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Refusal of Military Service
The Haredim emerged in Hungary in the late 18th century with the goal of preserving traditional Jewish customs and teachings.
Members of this movement prioritize the study and observance of the Torah above all else. The majority of Haredim reside in Israel and the United States, where they collectively make up 92% of the global Haredi population.
According to Jewish sources, Israel’s Haredi population was estimated at approximately 1.2 million in 2020, accounting for 17% of the country’s Jewish community.
The Haredim largely refuse to serve in the Israeli army, asserting that their religious way of life is incompatible with military service. Religious leaders argue that their primary mission is Torah study, which they consider equally—if not more—important than serving in the military.
In 2017, the Israeli Supreme Court overturned the long-standing exemption that had allowed Haredim to avoid military service and ordered the government to draft a new conscription law. The government was given a deadline of March 30, 2024, to implement the new regulations.
(PC, AJA)
