Ultra-Orthodox military enlistment rises 24% as specialized service tracks expand

The IDF’s Hasmonean Brigade, a special unit formed exclusively for ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) men to serve their mandatory enlistment, has been engaged in combat operations in south Lebanon and reports operational activity during its first months of service.

The brigade is one of several specialized units the IDF is developing in order to accommodate Haredi recruits. This week, the military said that 433 ultra-Orthodox men enlisted in for the April–May 2026 draft cycle, a 24% increase compared to the same period last year. Israel Defense Forces reported that 272 of the recent enlistees were assigned to combat units, while the Hasmonean Brigade brought on 96 recruits – a first for the unit.

“I greatly appreciate the new enlistees,” said Brig.-Gen. Shay Tayeb, head of the IDF’s planning and manpower administration. “Their service in the IDF is a central part of building the force and protecting the security of the State of Israel, and many of them are doing so as pioneers in their families and communities. However, the operational need is much broader, and so is the absorption capacity.”

The increase is seen as significant for the IDF and for Israeli society, which has long debated ultra-Orthodox participation in military service since the early years of the state.

The issue has contributed to the collapse of multiple Knesset coalitions over the decades and continues to be a point of political tension in the current Knesset. Haredi parties Shas and United Torah Judaism (UTJ) were among those who supported a proposal to dissolve the Knesset and move to early elections in May. They cited as a factor the lack of agreement on legislation that would formalize draft deferments for Haredi young men to allow them to focus on yeshiva studies, a commitment that had been discussed during coalition negotiations in late 2022.

At the same time, the IDF is moving forward with resolving the issue, including establishing and, if needed, dedicated military installations. There is reportedly infrastructure in place to form three more companies within the Hasmonean Brigade, and it could absorb many more Haredi recruits if voluntary enlistment continues to increase.

“If thousands come, we are ready with command teams and dedicated infrastructure for all of them,” IDF officials said this week.

Other steps the IDF has taken include appointing a 'Haredi affairs' advisor to the chief of staff and launching new tracks for ultra-Orthodox soldiers to serve, including combat units, including combat units as well as support roles in logistics, the legal and military prison systems, communications, and security. Training programs have also been introduced for officers who will command these units, including seminars on Haredi culture aimed at helping them perform their roles with greater sensitivity.

The “kollel on base” initiative – a service model combining IDF base duties with scheduled Torah study periods for ultra-Orthodox soldiers – allows soldiers assigned to base security roles to incorporate time for Torah study between shifts.

“In this role, the service is week on, week off, and the day will be divided between study time and guard duty,” IDF officials said. “This is a role that is always hard to recruit for, and it will solve part of the manpower shortage.”

“We don’t fill quotas for no reason,” they continued. “Every track that opens goes through all the approvals to ensure people are being recruited to places where there is a need.”