Haredi serving in the Mossad as National Service
For first time a Haredi man is doing National Service with the Mossad; He will be joined next year by a second Haredi volunteer; 'I am grateful that I was given the opportunity,' says one.
For the first time, a young Haredi man is doing National Service at the Mossad, Israel’s famed intelligence agency. The 22-year-old resident of Gush Dan made the decision with the support of his family.
Next year, another Haredi man, Z., age 21, is also set to join the Mossad in the framework of his National Service. Z. comes from a home with a long streak of serving the state and society, albeit not overtly.
"I am grateful that I was given the opportunity to be considered for the Mossad intelligence and special assignments agency," says Z. "I submitted my candidacy to the agency because I believe that my service in this framework will enable me to serve to the best of my ability, while preserving the sensibilities of my family and community."
The Director of the National Service Administration Sar-Shalom Jerbi noted that "about 1,600 young people from the ultra-Orthodox sector are serving in the national-civil service, and four years ago we opened the civil-security track, where those serving are active in the fields of emergency and security, and make a significant contribution to the security of the country and its citizens.
“We commend the Mossad for opening its doors to those in National Service. I have no doubt that this is only the first step in the security activity of those serving in the framework of the Mossad, and the organization come to see the qualities and abilities of the ultra-Orthodox that are serving."
Minister of Agriculture and Director of National Service, Uri Ariel, said the National Service has some of "the best of (Israel's) sons and daughters serving in leadership positions in all fields. I wish all the volunteers the best of luck."
In the past, the Mossad directorship expressed pride in the number of ultra-Orthodox agents, and the organization also faced dilemmas that arose from their service, such as locating a mikveh (ritual bath) for agents who recruited and operated foreign operatives.
The former head of the Mossad, Efraim Halevy, said in the past that he consulted with the chief rabbis of Israel about certain problems that arose, but in other cases he used his personal and employee’s discretion.
In contrast to full-time employees, this is the first time that a young ultra-Orthodox man is serving in the Mossad in the framework of national civil service—an option in place for people who cannot or do not wish to serve in the IDF.
