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🪖 IDF APPOINTS NEW HASMONEAN BRIGADE COMMANDER AND FORMALIZES BINDING SERVICE FRAMEWORK TO EXPAND HAREDI ENLISTMENT

🪖 Command change in the Hasmonean Brigade: The IDF held a handover ceremony in Beit She’an, appointing Col. Shemer Raviv as the new commander of the Hasmonean Brigade for ultra-Orthodox troops. Raviv previously commanded the Paran Regional Brigade along the Egyptian border and replaces Col. Avinoam Emunah.

Emunah, the brigade’s inaugural commander since its establishment in late 2024, is set to be promoted to brigadier general and will enter a new role as adviser to the IDF chief of staff on ultra-Orthodox affairs.

During the ceremony, Brig. Gen. Cohen emphasized the brigade’s unique identity and praised the outgoing commander for building a cohesive combat brigade with a strong operational spirit. The incoming commander credited his predecessor with establishing the brigade’s foundations and said he accepts responsibility while recognizing the scale of the mission and challenges ahead.

✅ The IDF completed a new General Staff directive establishing formal service arrangements for members of the Haredi community. The order was drafted with the Defense Ministry, signed by IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, and presented to Defense Minister Israel Katz.

The directive is intended to enable more ultra-Orthodox men to join the military while maintaining their level of religiosity throughout service, amid a stated manpower shortage. The IDF said the order has been under development for more than a year and replaces previous internal Personnel Directorate policy with binding, General Staff-level authority and oversight.

Three designated service tracks established The order applies only to Haredi men who enlist within three designated service tracks:

• “Magen” (Shield): Haredi soldiers serve in gender-separated teams within units that also include female troops, mostly in non-combat roles such as intelligence.

• “Herev” (Sword): Entire unit frameworks operate with gender separation, including units such as the Kfir Brigade’s Netzah Yehuda Battalion and Israeli Air Force technician units for Haredim. Commanders in this track will generally maintain a Haredi or religious lifestyle, and women may serve on the same base in other roles.

• “David”: Entire units consist of male personnel who observe a religious lifestyle. The Hasmonean Brigade is currently the only unit in this track, and any additional units require individual approval by the head of the Personnel Directorate.

The IDF clarified that Haredi soldiers who enlist in standard IDF frameworks will serve under regular military regulations and will not be entitled to the new protocols.

🔹 Additional accommodations and oversight mechanisms The directive consolidates service accommodations into a single order, including designated prayer times, kosher standards, and an alternative declaration of allegiance to the IDF instead of an oath, alongside other provisions. It also establishes a new adviser to the chief of staff on Haredi affairs to oversee service conditions, coordinate with commanders, recruitment authorities, and the Military Rabbinate, and serve as a liaison between the IDF and the Haredi public.

The IDF stated that service conditions for other populations, especially women, will not be harmed due to the integration of Haredi soldiers, except as explicitly permitted by the order.


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