National Service Volunteers Begin Intelligence Roles in Prisons

A new pilot program integrating national service volunteers into intelligence roles within the Israel Prison Service (IPS) has officially launched. The initiative, named "Tzufiya," saw its first cohort of female volunteers begin their duties in the IPS intelligence division last week. These volunteers will focus on data analysis, processing sensitive information, and professional staff work, with no direct contact with prisoners or field operations.

The program is a joint effort between the Knesset's lobby for Haredi and religious women, led by MK Limor Son Har-Melech, and the National Directorate for Community Security within the Ministry for National Security. It received the blessing of Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu and other prominent rabbis, and was advanced by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

A key feature of the "Tzufiya" program is its integration of religious observance. The volunteers will spend two days a week studying at a seminary in Lod as part of their service hours, receiving a full religious and community framework designed to maintain their spiritual world while they perform critical security tasks.

MK Son Har-Melech recently visited the intelligence unit to meet with the volunteers and IPS officials involved in the pilot. She expressed pride in the program, stating, "These girls prove that it is possible to perform extremely critical and sensitive roles for the country's security without compromising on the world of Halakha, values, and Torah." The program aims to demonstrate the successful integration of religious women into significant security roles.