The days of kibbutzim and moshavim boasting a leading position, as the highly motivated soldiers and officers in elite IDF combat units are over, taking a backseat to the dati leumi soldiers of today, whom over recent years have taken the lead as motivated and volunteering for the most elite units in the military.

According to newly-released statistics, leading the list of schools sending the most combat soldiers to the military is S’dei Eliyahu, followed in second place by the Chispin Religious High School in the Golan Heights. The first secular school is only in third place according to the statistics released by the IDF Personnel Branch, reflecting induction statistics from 2005-2007.

Former Chief of Personnel Branch Major-General Elazar Stern based his statistics on information obtained from 506 schools, documenting the number of students from schools entering the military, which units, and length of military service.

Tel Aviv has fallen sharply, not even making the top 50 schools in the country. Other less motivated cities include Rishon L’Tzion, Haifa and Holon. The representation of the kippot srugot is even higher in Officers School, far exceeding the dati leumi numbers in the general population.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)