Soldiers who enlisted in the Kfir Brigade's haredi Netzah Yehuda Battalion in November 2025 completed their beret march on Wednesday and received the brigade's signature camo-print beret in a ceremony held in Afula.
In the coming days, the battalion is expected to conclude its operational deployment in the northern Gaza Strip and begin a training period, after which it will be integrated into operational activity in Lebanon.
Among the family members who attended the ceremony was Esther, the mother of one of the soldiers, who resides abroad. She landed in Israel shortly before the event and traveled directly from the airport to witness the exciting milestone.
During the flight, the El-Al flight crew handed her a personal letter, reading: "We are excited to fly you home in honor of your son's beret march."
Esther said that she is proud of her son's decision to make aliyah and enlist in the IDF. "There is no mother prouder than I for his choosing to make aliyah to enlist. He is privileged to take part in the people of Israel's national effort to live in security," she stated.
She said that one of the things that especially impressed her was the combination of military service and a religious lifestyle. "Just last week, they had Gemara and halacha tests. It's amazing to see the combination of military and Torah. Netzah Yehuda has regular prayer services, Torah study, and a spiritual atmosphere appropriate for the haredi public," she noted.
After the march, one of the soldiers spoke about the sense of mission that he and his peers feel. "Our brothers defend the people of Israel with Torah study in yeshiva, and we are defending it with our bodies. My brother studies, and I fight, and we are the connection of the people of Israel in its glory," he said.
Yossi, CEO of the National Association for Haredi Integration into the Israel Defense Forces, said that the fighters in the new intake are proving that it is possible to combine a Haredi lifestyle with meaningful combat service. He added that the association will continue to support the soldiers throughout their operational service while helping them maintain their religious identity.