The damage of the Equal Burden Law: In the last March recruitment cycle, only about 140 soldiers enlisted in the Netzah Yehuda Battalion, 301 fewer than the number of soldiers who enlisted in the Haredi battalion in the previous recruitment cycle.
According to official data published this morning (Friday) in the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, in November 2013, 200 soldiers enlisted in the battalion, and in August 2013, the record number of Haredim who enlisted was recorded - 226.
In light of this, the IDF decided to freeze, at this stage, the establishment of the additional Haredi battalion.
In August of last year, due to demand, two companies intended for the new battalion were opened. In November, they were forced to move to a company and a half, and now, with the decline in the number of ultra-Orthodox soldiers, they have moved to one regular company.
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The IDF says that the main reason for the decline in the number of recruits is the public uproar surrounding the conscription law.
The Nahal Haredi Association says that the sharp decline stems from the public atmosphere surrounding the conscription law and the intention to extend the Haredi service by four months. "If last year we saw a relaxation in relation to Haredi soldiers, in recent months the public atmosphere has been very damaging and has set us back at least a year," the association notes.
""The Haredi Nahal is one of the largest groups of Haredim serving in the IDF today. Recently, the IDF has an intention to extend the service from 24 months to 28 months. These things have begun to seep into the field and are causing a significant decrease in motivation to enlist," one of the association's rabbis was quoted as saying. "Until now, at the end of two years of service, soldiers would study vocational courses in the remaining year, in order to prepare them for the world of work. Extending the service means a serious harm to the soldiers' school year.".
In the early career tracks in the Intelligence, Air Force, and ICT Corps, there has not yet been a decrease in the number of recruits. Apparently, this is due to the fact that these are young men with families.
According to IDF data, in 2010, 898 Haredim enlisted, in 2011, 1,282 Haredim were drafted, in 2012, 1,447 Haredim were drafted, and in 2013, 1,858 Haredim were drafted. By this summer, the IDF is expected to reach 2,000 Haredim and it appears that it will meet the target set in the conscription law, but after that, there is expected to be a problem.
A senior IDF official warned: "Our recruits are having a hard time today. They no longer hang out in neighborhoods like they used to, and the attitude towards them has changed. The attitude towards recruits has also changed, and they don't return home in uniform like they used to, because Haredi society is showing hostility. If a comprehensive move is not made with the rabbis, the decline in motivation to enlist will continue.".
