The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Monday presented the main points of a new General Staff directive regulating the service of haredi soldiers in the IDF. Implementation of the directive has already begun and will continue over the coming weeks.
The order includes a broad structural change, institutional adjustments, and the establishment of oversight mechanisms at the IDF-wide level.
According to military officials, this directive is expected to serve, for the first time, as a binding General Staff document, replacing internal policies that until now were handled within the Manpower Directorate.
The directive establishes three primary service tracks:
“Magen" Track - Service in all-male teams within regular units, primarily in combat-support roles.
“Herev" Track - Service within a fully gender-segregated framework, in which all commanders are men and key position holders maintain a religious lifestyle.
“David" Track - the Hasmonean Brigade - Service in units where all personnel, including professional staff, observe a religious lifestyle.
The IDF emphasizes that joining these designated tracks will be strictly voluntary. However, those who choose to join must meet criteria that include declaring a Haredi lifestyle and passing a screening interview (“affinity interview").
In addition to the tracks, the directive anchors extensive accommodations for Haredi soldiers, including: a declaration of allegiance instead of an oath, strict adherence to prayer times, an enhanced kosher food system (including mehadrin standards and stringent observance of the sabbatical year), adjustments in dress and appearance, and tailored educational content. These measures will be implemented in coordination with Haredi integration bodies, with a mandatory consultation process regarding educational and training content.
The IDF clarifies that the directive will not infringe on the rights of other populations, including women. The entry of women or other personnel into Haredi frameworks will be permitted only for the performance of specific duties, subject to commanders’ discretion and operational necessity.
Implementation will also include the appointment of a Chief of Staff’s Advisor for Haredi Affairs-a new institutional role defined in the directive. The advisor, Avinoam Emunah, is authorized to advise, supervise, and guide all IDF bodies, from field commanders to officials in the Manpower Directorate, the Military Rabbinate, and education branches.
In parallel, each branch and directorate will be required to appoint a senior-level Haredi Integration Liaison to coordinate the implementation of the directive on the ground.
The directive explicitly allows the Head of the Manpower Directorate and the Chief of Staff’s advisor to consult with rabbis and external bodies. The IDF stressed that while there is no formal advisory committee, proactive outreach is conducted to hear the views of rabbis and public figures. Senior IDF officials have met with rabbis from across the Haredi spectrum as well as with women’s organizations. “Anyone who reached out was answered," it was emphasized.
Additionally, under the oversight provisions, the authority of the Defense Ministry’s Comptroller to conduct dedicated audits of Haredi service in the IDF is explicitly included, including the possibility of using external civilian bodies.
The IDF noted that the directive is in its final stages and is expected to be published soon. Once issued, it will be binding on all IDF units and distributed as a General Staff order at every level.
Defense Minister Israel Katz welcomed the publication of the new directive. “I congratulate the signing of the dedicated General Staff order for integrating members of the Haredi community into the IDF-a historic and significant step in strengthening partnership and shared responsibility for Israel’s security. Over the past year, together with officials from the Defense Ministry and the IDF, I led the core principles toward formulating this directive, out of a deep commitment that the integration of Haredi citizens be carried out with full preservation of their lifestyle, faith, and values, and with recognition that Torah study is a supreme value in the State of Israel."
“After a war that lasted two years and illustrated more than ever the magnitude of the challenge and the responsibility on our shoulders, it is a great privilege to take part in defending the State of Israel. I am confident that members of the Haredi community will play a substantial and meaningful role in the national effort and in the right and duty to defend the state. The IDF is the people’s army, and it will continue to operate in a spirit of mutual respect, accommodation, and responsibility-so that anyone who chooses to serve can do so with integrity, genuine contribution, and a sense of belonging. I will continue to work to advance tailored service tracks that strengthen both the IDF and Israeli society as a whole," Katz said.