ultra-Orthodox soldiers

Israelis attend a protest against military service exemptions for ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students and the government's planned judicial overhaul, outside the Kol Torah yeshiva in Jerusalem, May 4, 2023. (Noam Revkin Fenton/Flash90)

Cabinet shields Haredi youth from military draft, 5 days before exemption law expiry

Defense minister will order the military not to enforce conscription of religious scholars until March 31, 2024, by which time the government plans to have passed a new law

June 25, 2023, 8:38 pm

Cabinet shields Haredi youth from military draft, 5 days before exemption law expiry

Defense minister will order the military not to enforce conscription of religious scholars until March 31, 2024, by which time the government plans to have passed a new law

By Carrie Keller-Lynn

Ultra-Orthodox soldiers stand on the stage at a Memorial Day service for fallen Haredi soldiers in Jerusalem, April 24, 2023. (Chaim Tovito)

April 25, 2023, 3:48 pm

‘Glorious legacy’: Over 1,200 attend Memorial Day ceremony for fallen Haredi troops

Ministers, politicians, religious and military officials join bereaved families in Jerusalem to remember ultra-Orthodox soldiers of the IDF’s Haredi battalions

By Michael Horovitz

File: Police use a water cannon to disperse a protest against the arrest of a yeshiva student who failed to comply with an IDF conscription order, at the entrance to Jerusalem, on March 23, 2017. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

April 20, 2023, 11:16 am

How to heal a rift: Don’t exclude Haredim from IDF; include them in national service

As with the judicial overhaul, the looming tragedy of an ultra-Orthodox exemption law is exacerbated by the fact that a win-win alternative is staring our legislators in the face

By David Horovitz

A group of ultra-Orthodox protesters attempt to enter a cultural hall in Jerusalem where ultra-Orthodox are holding a Hanukkah candle-lighting event, December 25, 2022. (Screenshot: Twitter)

December 26, 2022, 2:14 pm

Haredi soldiers accosted by ultra-Orthodox protesters at Hanukkah candle-lighting

Over a dozen demonstrate against event in Jerusalem social hall; organizer says ‘sad to see a handful of extremists’ attempt to disrupt gathering

By Emanuel Fabian

Illustrative: Israeli soldiers of the Netzah Yehuda battalion are seen studying at the Peles Military Base, in the Northern Jordan Valley. (Yaakov Naumi/Flash90)

December 1, 2022, 10:49 am

Religious unit with reputation of rights abuses to exit West Bank for first time

Netzah Yehuda to move to northern frontier; IDF says decision unrelated to controversies, including death of Palestinian-American, 78, but to ‘diversify operational deployment’

By Emanuel Fabian

Illustrative: Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men in the Mea Shearim neighborhood in Jerusalem walk alongside an Israeli soldier. June 6, 2008. (Lara Savage/Flash 90)

July 13, 2022, 4:19 pm

After terror attacks, officials set out to draft Haredi IDF veterans to civil guard

Plan aims to train thousands of ultra-Orthodox ex-soldiers, supply them with equipment for emergency response in areas with few licensed weapon holders; pilot planned for Jerusalem

By Emanuel Fabian

A memorial event for ultra-Orthodox soldiers in Jerusalem on May 4, 2022. (Courtesy)

May 4, 2022, 11:46 am

‘Haredi society no longer left behind’: Memorial held for ultra-Orthodox soldiers

Religious officials participate in annual ceremony along with members of Netzah Yehuda, a battalion for Haredi troops

By Emanuel Fabian

Illustrative. Soldiers belonging to the IDF's ultra-Orthodox Netzah Yehuda unit. (Yaakov Naumi/Flash90)

November 2, 2021, 4:45 am

IDF finds two commanders abused ultra-Orthodox soldiers

Report reveals soldiers were kicked, denied medical treatment and humiliated; army says one NCO relieved of his command, a second disciplined

By ToI Staff

Presenters at a memorial event for ultra-Orthodox soldiers in Jerusalem on April 13, 2021. (screen capture: YouTube/ Bogrei Netzah Yehuda)

April 14, 2021, 5:47 pm

Memorial Day service held for ultra-Orthodox soldiers for 3rd year

Religious officials, Jerusalem’s mayor and interior minister participate in ceremony along with members of Netzah Yehuda, a Haredi battalion

By Emanuel Fabian

Likud supporters celebrate at party headquarters in Tel Aviv on March 18, 2015. (Miriam Alster/Flash90)

September 17, 2020, 11:06 pm

One-third of Netanyahu voters believe COVID-19 was sent by God

Hiddush poll also finds 70% of Israelis reject notion that criticism of ultra-Orthodox conduct during pandemic is bigotry

By Ben Sales

Illustrative: Soldiers of the IDF's ultra-Orthodox Netzah Yehuda Battalion study at the Peles Military Base, in the northern Jordan Valley. (Yaakov Naumi/Flash90)

February 20, 2020, 5:35 pm

IDF admits egregious failure to accurately tally ultra-Orthodox recruits

Senior officers, including Maj. Gen. Moti Almoz, censured for their role in the years-long inflating of Haredi enlistment numbers

By Judah Ari Gross

IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kohavi addresses a group of Kfir Brigade soldiers stationed at the Gaza border on January 22, 2020. (Israel Defense Forces)

February 12, 2020, 3:26 pm

Army chief vows IDF will investigate itself after several scandals come to light

Referring to three recent incidents in which officers were found to have abused power or been negligent, Kohavi maintains that the military must learn from its mistakes

By Judah Ari Gross

January 12, 2020, 4:20 am

Haredi protesters shut down event for ultra-Orthodox lone soldiers

Demonstrators from fringe Jerusalem Faction group break into fundraiser for Osey Chail group in Ashdod

By ToI Staff

IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kohavi speaks at an award ceremony at a military base north of Tel Aviv on December 16, 2019. (Israel Defense Forces)

December 16, 2019, 9:49 pm

IDF head promises reckoning over misreported Haredi draft figures

Lt. Gen. Aviv Kohavi vows to learn and improve from scandal in which numbers were seemingly inflated; warns Iran entrenching deeper in Syria and Lebanon

By Judah Ari Gross

Commander of the IDF Manpower Directorate Maj. Gen. Moti Almoz, center, and the head of the Manpower Directorate's Planning and Manpower Management Division, Brig. Gen. Amir Vadamni, left, attend a Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee in the Knesset on December 9, 2019. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

December 9, 2019, 12:38 pm

In Knesset, IDF admits incorrectly adding hundreds to tally of Haredi recruits

Senior officers from Manpower Directorate acknowledge that mistakes were made in counting ultra-Orthodox enlistment rates, but maintain there was no effort to deceive the public

By Judah Ari Gross