it is certain that children of immigrant parents who themselves are uneducated will have a very hard time navigating the system. they need help to do so. specialised social workers or teachers should be placed in all high schools to teach immigrant children the value of joining the idf and how to navigate the system. the ethiopian-israeli girls are motivated to serve and they deserve every chance they get. they should not get discouraged, although it should be explained to them that some people need to work harder than others to achieve their ultimate goal.

Congratulations on a great program. `May it go from strength to strength. We had been in Israel 12 years when our son was called up. As olim parents we had no clue about the structure of the IDF or that we could indeed influence outcomes. In Canada one would expect efficiency and punctuality from a government office. Our son was excused from service for health reasons but volunteered anyway. However, despite more than 6 months of hours long waits on hold to the volunteer recruiting office two weeks before his enlistment date he had no clue as to which unit he would be reporting to. At daka tishim his father complained to friends of friends who intervened on his behalf and he finally got a position where he feels his talents are used and that he is truly doing useful work. I think that the IDF needs to take a long hard look at its recruitment personnel and make them accountable for recruitment failures.