Israel – IDF To Open Its First Haredi Pre-Military Academy

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    File photo of an ultra orthodox Jew watches Israeli Defence Force soldiers next to their tanks late Monday, 26 June 2006. EPA/PAVEL WOLBERGIsrael – The first Haredi pre-military academy funded by the Defense Ministry will open this August in the Jordan Valley.

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    News of its establishment on Wednesday follows heightened tensions surrounding the issue of haredi enlistment in the IDF and an attack against a haredi soldier carried out by a mob of ultra-Orthodox men in Jerusalem Tuesday night. 

    Graduates of the academy will serve as combat soldiers in the Netzah Yehudah Battalion of the Nahal Haredi IDF unit for haredi soldiers.

    Following instructions from Minister of Defense Moshe Yaalon, the Defense Ministry together with Ministry of Education and the Regional Council for the Jordan Valley published information on Wednesday about the academy.

    Yaalon also announced that a Hesder program for haredi men was also being opened in Moshav Nahalim.

    “We are right now in the middle of a gradual and historic process, in which the numbers of the number of young haredi men enlisting to the IDF is continually increasing,” said Yaalon regarding the opening of the new academy.

    “We are doing this not by brandishing a sword, but gradually, with tolerance, whilst having recruited leading haredi figures in the ultra-Orthodox community to help us in this important social process which will contribute to the IDF and Israeli society.” 

    In the first stage of its operations, the new pre-military academy will take 20 haredi youth from around the country who will be prepared for enlistment as well as engaging in religious studies and societal activities in the communities of the Jordan Valley.

    The first cohort is expected to begin the course this August.

    The academy staff, including the director and instructors, are all haredi who served as officers and commanders in Nahal Haredi.

    According to a statement made by the Ministry of Defense, emphasis will be placed on the participants haredi identity, while at the same time the students will be given the tools to prepare them for army service and contributing to the state as IDF recruits and Israeli citizens.

    It will be located at the site of the former military camp Gadi, near the Masua settlement.

    According to Jordan Valley Regional Council David Lahiani said the buildings at the military base had already been renovated over the last year.

    “We are happy to be part of this historic process,” he said.

    Although the Hararei Tzion academy is the first designated for haredim to be funded by the Ministry of Defense, there already exists a pre-military academy, which caters to haredi youth but is not state-funded.

    Currently the non-state funded academy is wary of publicity in the media out of concern for its operation and its students.

    Yaalon also approved the establishment of a Hesder yeshiva for haredi recruits with an emphasis on hi-tech education.

    The Hesder course combines Torah study and army service. Participants, who are overwhelmingly from the national-religious sector, usually serve 16 months in the army and study for three and a half years in a yeshiva.

    Netevei Torah Ve’technologia Hesder yeshiva will be located in Moshav Nachalim, close to Petah Tikva, and will be designed for haredi boys aged 17 and upwards who are interested in combining “substantial military service, Torah study and the acquisition of a profession in hi-tech, which will prepare graduates for integration into the work force.”

    The program will last four years, including two years military service and two years of yeshiva study.

    Content is provided courtesy of the Jerusalem Post


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    6 Comments
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    wsbrgh
    wsbrgh
    10 years ago

    “Beias Moshiach shelo bizmano” is “k’shemesh lo zarcha” and THIS is part of that process. A day will come when all IDF officers are shomer mitzvos.

    ChachoMoe
    ChachoMoe
    10 years ago

    Great, so now we can טובל our phones in the mikvah, and obtain another הכשר. 🙂

    NeveAliza
    NeveAliza
    10 years ago

    If the process is done slowly and sensitively it will be a fantastic thing.

    Dovid_from_Modiin
    Dovid_from_Modiin
    10 years ago

    ChachoMoe – Who is going to Tovel your computer?

    FreezerSpace
    FreezerSpace
    10 years ago

    Yiddim attacking other yiddim because they serve their country’s armed forces? You don’t want these people in your army! Kick them out instead. they will just continue to be defiant and will continue to attack other soldiers.