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The hesder program, first initiated in the 1950s, has since grown into a movement of more than 80 yeshivas with over 10,000 students.
By Shula Rosen
Hundreds of students from hesder yeshivas across Israel reported for duty Wednesday at the Tel Hashomer recruitment center, beginning their Israel Defense Forces service as part of the hesder combat track.
The enlistment event drew a large turnout of young men who came from dozens of religious-Zionist institutions that combine Torah study with military service.
The atmosphere was celebratory, with singing and dancing reflecting what participants described as a mission rooted in faith and national responsibility.
Recruits arrived from prominent yeshivas, including Yeshivat Nir, Yeshivat Tefachot, Yeshivat Har Etzion, and Yeshivat Orot Shaul, with many assigned to the Kfir Brigade.
Students from Yeshivat Avinoam in Evyatar and Yeshivat Elon Moreh are expected to serve in the Nahal Brigade.
The hesder program, first initiated in the 1950s when Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavneh sent students to the IDF, has since grown into a movement of more than 80 yeshivas with over 10,000 students.
The framework allows participants to divide five years between intensive Torah study and army training and service.
During the current war, thousands of hesder students have fought in the IDF, and many were killed in battle. Supporters view the program not as a compromise, but as an ideal balance of spiritual and national duty.
Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein, Rosh Yeshiva of Har Etzion, articulated this perspective in a seminal 1981 essay, writing that hesder reflects a full expression of service to God.
“It’s a tremendous privilege to begin our service together, grounded in Torah and driven by a sense of purpose. We truly feel that we’re doing the right thing,” a new recruit told Israel National News.
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