[PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE]

Hundreds of chareidi soldiers of the “Netzach Yehuda” battalion completed successfully last weekend a regimental drill in the “Tze’elim” base in southern Israel. During the drill, which lasted 3 days, the soldiers exercised urban warfare in the physical feature of Gaza. The soldiers incorporated prayers, slichos and shofar blowing in the drill, as part of their regular routine as Chareidi soldiers.

The drill took place in the “Tze’elim” base, situated in the vicinity of Gaza. The soldiers participated in special firing ranges in which there are facilities that stimulate urban warfare. In each of the tasks, the entire battalion conquered different targets. Various combatting styles were exercised during the drill, in the Gazan-like environment, with focus on urban warfare. It should be noted that the battalion finished their operational employment in the Binyamin zone, north of Jerusalem. The battalion usually carries two regimental drills a year, when the last one took place during the winter in the Jordan Valley. The battalion did not exercise in “Tze’elim” in recent years.

As the drill was completed, the battalion commander Lt.-Col. Ori Levy thanked the soldiers, officers and NCOs and said he is proud of them, while the regimental commander added that despite the fact that the drill was difficult and intensive, the soldiers withstood it very respectfully.

One of the rabbis from the Nachal Chareidi Foundation which escorts the soldiers during their service, concluded that “the time of Slichos and the month of Elul, deepen the motivation of the chareidi soldiers, who are willing to protect Am Israel in every zone in which they would be posted, and in any kind of combating method”.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem / Photos: Nachal Chareidi Foundation)