Amit Segal
Ultra-Orthodox soldiers played a crucial role in Israel’s unprecedented war against Iran. Yes, there is a small number of Haredim serving in the IDF, and thanks to @MakorRishon’s @yishai_elmakyes, we now have an insight into the ultra-Orthodox Air Force technicians without whom Israel’s stunning victory against Iran would have been impossible. Elmakies interviewed members of the Israeli Air Force’s 105th Squadron, which operates F-16 fighter jets from Ramat David Airbase. They joined the squadron through the IDF’s “For the Sake of Heaven” recruitment track, which enables Haredi soldiers to serve in meaningful roles while simultaneously adhering to their strict religious lifestyle. So, what do they actually do? As technicians, they’re responsible for ensuring F-16 fighter jets and their weapons systems are operationally ready. On June 12, just hours before Israel’s opening strike against Iran, “we prepared many jets and we didn’t know what for,” one soldier told Elmakies. “There were just rumors, and when the pilots returned and told us what they can do—they had a look of gratitude in their eyes that everything had gone smoothly.” “Outsiders don’t understand how big our responsibility is,” he added. “I conduct lengthy inspections on the jet and go over every detail. I ‘sign off’ on it, and if something happens to it—that’s on me. So I try to make sure every time I approach the jet, it’s with a sense of reverence.” You may be wondering: If they’re Haredi, why did they draft? And how do they live a religious lifestyle in the army? One interviewee, who learned in the same yeshiva as two of Israel’s Sephardi Chief Rabbis, said that prior to the October 7 massacre, “I didn’t think about drafting.” But after terrorists came into his hometown and massacred its residents, “I understood that I must make an effort and give.” As for their religious observance? The IDF ensures that the kitchen and dining room are up to their kashrut standards, the soldiers are given time to pray three times a day, as per Jewish law, and a rabbi even comes to the base to give shiurim (religious lessons). They even work on Shabbat, which is ordinarily forbidden by Jewish law. As one soldier explained, “everything we do is considered pikuach nefesh (a Jewish principle that permits breaking Shabbat in order to save a life).” Due to this program’s success, the military is opening up another route for Haredi recruits in the Air Force’s 109th Squadron, which will also see them maintain F-16 fighter jets.
