Sixty-four chareidim joined the ranks of the IDF’s Shachar program, a branch of the Technology & Logistics Branch. The new recruits will begin basic training which will last for three weeks in Base 20 located in the Tzrifin base. They will then begin their professional training for the program.

IDF officials site the group represents a slight increase since the last induction two months ago in which 60 chareidim joined the program. Kikar Shabbos quotes an official of the Shachar program saying “even an increase of four soldiers is an increase”.

“We believe that as times passes we will see less antagonism to chareidim serving in the IDF, and therefore, those inductees are not afraid to join today as they did. In addition, this is a project that sees to it that they receive everything they require to maintain their spiritual and physical lifestyle” the source added.

The source concluded he believes the induction scheduled for February 2015 will be even larger than the current one.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)