Recruiting Office
Recruiting OfficeOlivier Fitoussi/Flash90

Draft orders were sent on Sunday evening to haredim by text messages to report to the Recruiting Office for their first draft order.

An Arutz Sheva – Israel National News investigation shows that the orders have currently been sent to 25-year-old haredim, who are both single and married, and also to some who are studying in yeshiva.

The orders were apparently sent to those who are working, even if they are combining study in Yeshiva with work. In addition, the recipients who own a cell phone have received the draft order by text messages.

This morning, the IDF sent about one thousand draft orders to haredi young adults, aged 18-26. In the coming weeks, two more batches of about one thousand orders will be sent, with the aim of increasing the number of haredim serving in the IDF to about 4,800 soldiers.

On Thursday, the Minister of Defense confirmed the IDF's recommendation to issue initial orders - and assumed that they would be sent in three batches, with a stage for conclusions to be reached after each one, in order to improve the next batch.

Gallant also stated that the method of sending the next two draft cycles will be determined based on the responsiveness of the haredi public in the upcoming recruitment cycle.

The IDF prepared for sending out the draft orders and said that the test of success will be determined by how many of the young adults who are summoned will actually report. Fifty percent of the orders will be sent to candidates up to the age of 21, 40% to those aged 22-23 and 10% to those aged 24-26.

"If we manage to recruit another battalion of haredim, this will save the operational employment of ten reserve battalions that will not have to report to the IDF," estimated military officials.