Ultra-Orthodox Recruitment Bluff: Numbers did not Meet Expectations

According to the publications, the IDF is disappointed with the number of ultra-Orthodox recruits, since as a result of the start of the war in the Gaza Strip it seemed that broad sections of the ultra-Orthodox public changed their attitude towards recruiting for the IDF, the final numbers of recruits do not show a significant increase in ultra-Orthodox recruitment.

According to the data published by the IDF, in the last recruitment cycle for the combat service frameworks for the ultra-Orthodox public, only about 182 ultra-Orthodox people enlisted, this despite the fact that the ultra-orthodox administration and the IDF personnel department expected at least 232 recruits. 114 enlisted for Netzach Yehuda, 34 for Tomer Givati, 23 for ultra-Orthodox paratroopers and 11 for the Negev company.

According to sources in the IDF, this figure is almost identical to the ultra-Orthodox recruitments that took place last year and in the years preceding it, the same sources even report a significant disappointment in the ranks of the ultra-Orthodox recruitment administrations, who expected a significant jump in the recruitment figures after what was described as a "change of perception" in the ultra-Orthodox public.

Many within the system expressed great pessimism, and explained that according to the data in question, the "change" presented in the ultra-orthodox public in relation to the IDF was only a campaign.