More than two years after the war began, Israel is facing a new long-term challenge: returning injured IDF soldiers, combatants, and reservists to the workforce. The article says this affects tens of thousands of young men and women, many aged 20 to 40, who are normally in the middle of building careers, raising families, and contributing to economic growth. Their absence is presented not just as a personal or medical issue, but as a national social and economic problem.
Noam Dadon, CEO of Restart, which helps injured soldiers rebuild their lives, says these veterans bring rare strengths to civilian employment. “The question is not whether they are capable of returning, but whether the state and employers know how to create the conditions for real integration,” he said. He argues that those conditions include dedicated training tracks, workplace adjustments, and professional, emotional, and employment support. “We need employment oriented by capability, not by limitation,” he said.
Dadon says the gap is clear, Israel needs skilled workers in many fields, while thousands of injured people want to rejoin society, study, work, and build careers. He wants the country to move beyond a focus on allowances and support budgets and adopt a long-term rehabilitation and economic model that sees injured soldiers as an asset for growth.
Restart says demand for solutions has surged over the past year, with a 900% rise in requests for technologies that support independence at work and in study, and a doubling in the number of participants in personal guidance and employment programs. About 70% of participants are dealing with post-trauma. The group is now working to recruit leading employers to build tailored career paths, including interview preparation, relevant training, and suitable job matching. Dadon says this is not a welfare project but an economic investment that pays back through taxes, employment, and innovation.
