Sergeant Major (Res.) Dotan Shlomo (39) has been missing from his job at a plumbing and maintenance company, having completed approximately 270 days of reserve service in his role as a combat soldier in the 8109th Battalion. Dotan chooses to volunteer for reserve duty even though he is eligible for an exemption after defeating cancer. "I tore up the exemption certificate I received from the doctor. As long as I can stand on my feet – I will serve my country. I got sick in July 2020, and by November 2021, I reported for reserve duty for the first time after recovering," he says proudly.
But even while he was on his last rotation, he received a letter of termination from his job. Dotan, who is married and the father of a child on the autism spectrum, is just one of many reservists who were forced to leave their jobs during the war. Another painful blow after his life had already been turned upside down. "I was in shock," he shares. "My only source of income was cut off in an instant. I tried to register at the unemployment office, but my former employer did not submit all the forms, and I didn’t receive everything I was entitled to. Without reservists – there is no country. I expect the state to prevent situations like mine in the first place."
It’s nice to get another voucher for ice cream, but it doesn’t solve any problem. Not for students who are missing classes, not for parents who are far from their children, and not for workers who are economically and professionally harmed
Master Sergeant (Res.) Gal Brander (27) was also fired from her job as a paramedic-security guard after showing up for four rotations. After completing more than 260 days of reserve duty since the outbreak of the war, she is currently on another emergency call-up in the West Bank. "I received a message from the company's CEO summoning me to a hearing," shares Gal, a member of the "Magen HaDor" movement, who is currently in the process of being recognized as someone dealing with PTSD.
"I feel unappreciated and disrespected. It’s crazy to me that I’m fighting for my country, and they throw me out of the one stable thing I had left in my life – my job. I expected more sensitivity, inclusion, and understanding. I came back a completely different person than I was before the war. I shared this with my employers, and they chose to fire me. The trauma turned into an insult," she adds. "The government must give employers of reservists incentives, allowing us to show up for emergency call-ups with peace of mind and fulfill our duty to protect the country."
About two and a half months ago, at the end of his fourth reserve rotation, Sergeant Major (Res.) Ofir Yogev (43), married and a father of four, was fired from his job as VP of business development and sales at a high-tech company. "At first, I was asked to agree to a 30% pay cut without justification. After I refused, I received a termination letter," he said. "I tried to confront the company with the fact that my dismissal came after my prolonged absence due to reserve service – but they denied it." The justification he received for his dismissal was "changes in the company’s workforce structure.
"I saw the Minister of Finance boasting about the state budget, marketing it as a 'budget for the reserves.' It’s nice to get another voucher for ice cream, but it doesn’t solve any problem. Not for students who are missing classes, not for parents who are far from their children, and not for workers who are economically and professionally harmed," says Ofir. "All my life, I saw reserve duty as a privilege and not an obligation, but today it feels like the state is choosing the easy solution – giving us a bit more compensation instead of the right solution – recruiting more soldiers."
Since the outbreak of the war, he has completed nearly 300 days of reserve duty in his role as a combat soldier in the Golani reconnaissance unit. For the past three years, Ofir has chosen to volunteer for reserve duty even though he is eligible for an exemption due to his age. "It brings a lot of concerns and tensions into the home. The upcoming rotation (in April), which will last 67 days, affects my ability to apply for a new job and attend interviews. The government needs to recognize and address this problem."
Under the stretcher, with the next generation
At a march held on Sunday in Jerusalem, organized by the "Reservists Movement" led by Yoaz Hendel, reservists and pre-military academy youth from across the country took part. Participants gathered near the Supreme Court, from where they continued on a symbolic "stretcher march" around the Knesset, which ended with a rally attended by bereaved families.
"In August, I will enlist as a combat soldier; it was my dream to serve meaningfully in the IDF. It frustrates me to understand that there are people in Israeli society who shirk their responsibility to take part in ensuring the security of the state. I came here because I hope we can change the situation and achieve true equality in the burden," shares Ido Weinstock, who attended the march. Maya Amiri joins him: "I came to protest the things that aren’t working properly in the country. There are no first-class citizens and second-class citizens in our society – we are all equal before the law, and we all have the duty and privilege to serve in the IDF. It’s hard to believe there are people in the country who don’t see the situation as we understand it – and this is the government’s job, to work toward true equality. We are here to remind them of that."
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Alongside them marched Warrant Officer (Res.) Itai Gittler, who served in the 55th Brigade for 250 days of reserve duty during the war: "I am proud to see the young people who came today, who will join us at some point and also replace us in the future. The protest is not just ours or that of the pre-military youth – it belongs to all of us, as Israeli society."
Gilanit, the mother of the late First Sergeant Regev Amar, came to tell the pre-military youth her son’s story – the paratrooper who fell on October 7. In his memory, his parents established a pre-military academy in Sde Nehemia called "Derech Regev." "It moves me every time to tell Regev’s story; it keeps him alive," says Gilanit. "I want to believe they hear Regev’s story, and it inspires them so that when they themselves reach the battlefield – they’ll remember him and act in his spirit. They’ll strive to engage, act with camaraderie, and take care of one another. These young people are the ones who will lead us in the future."
Lieutenant Colonel (Res.) Yonatan Bahat, deputy commander of the 646th Brigade, who was critically injured during his reserve service, also came to speak with the pre-military youth. "The moral foundation and the good of all of Israel have disappeared from considerations. Everything revolves around political survival and catering to certain sectors. But that’s not what I saw in the reserves – there, we are all brothers, from across the political spectrum. I hope the youth who will lead us in the future will act differently, that they won’t learn from today’s leadership, and that they’ll lead change," he says. "Being Israeli means serving in the IDF. To the ultra-Orthodox who don’t enlist, I say that we want you to enlist so that you can truly be part of our society."
Yoaz Hendel, leader of the "Reservists Movement," spoke at the rally: "To my Haredi brothers, I say – refuse orders. Refuse the politicians, refuse the system that prevents you from being better Jews and serving the state. Refuse the moral injustice, to those who ask you to blatantly violate the value of mutual responsibility."