Haredi IDF Soldiers Prepare for Next Phase After Hashmonaim Graduation

In a historic and deeply symbolic ceremony held Thursday in Modi'in, the Israel Defense Forces celebrated the graduation of the second class of haredi soldiers from its newly formed Hashmonaim Brigade, an elite combat unit designed to accommodate and respect ultra-Orthodox lifestyles while training warriors for the modern battlefield.

Unlike previous initiatives, this brigade is composed entirely of haredim who remain fully committed to their religious way of life inside and outside of the army. Soldiers receive daily time to study Talmud, and the IDF’s bureaucratic and logistical structure around them is tailored to maintain strict standards of gender separation and religious observance.

The unit is not a symbolic gesture. These haredi soldiers are being trained as full-fledged infantry fighters, not desk clerks or passive guards. The first company has already deployed to active combat. Thursday’s graduates now face six months of advanced training before joining them on the front lines.

One soldier, “S,” described how determined he was to join the army even turning himself in and serving 12 days in military jail after missing his original draft deadline by over 540 days. “It was a small price to pay for getting to serve and fight for my country,” he said.

Several soldiers and families pointed to the October 7 attacks as a turning point. What once felt like a distant national mission suddenly became personal. “After October 7, we no longer felt we could avoid lending a hand to defend the country,” one recruit said.

The Hashmonaim Brigade stands in stark contrast to the Netzach Yehuda battalion, often mistakenly viewed as a haredi unit. In reality, Netzach was a blend of religious Zionists and formerly haredi recruits, while the Hashmonaim unit is comprised of soldiers still embedded in haredi communities, with families from places like Bnei Brak, Elad, and Ashdod.

This cultural breakthrough isn’t without its struggles. Some soldiers face estrangement from family members, particularly fathers opposed to military service. Others report varying levels of acceptance when returning to their neighborhoods while some are welcomed, others endure rebukes and harsh words from their communities.

Still, change is in the air. While no one expects a mass wave of thousands of haredi recruits overnight, the success of the Hashmonaim Brigade hints at a quiet but growing shift. Several haredi soldiers and families said that more would join the IDF if there were less public pressure and more space for dialogue.

One soldier, “Y,” who came from a rare haredi hesder yeshiva, said it was important to him to serve in this specific brigade. He obtained permission from his rabbi to join, signaling that within some rabbinic circles, attitudes toward army service are slowly evolving.

As the IDF continues to adapt, the Hashmonaim Brigade represents something uniquely Israeli: a fusion of Torah and defense, of prayer and patriotism. These young men are writing a new chapter one that honors both tradition and the call to protect the nation.

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