First Hasmonean Brigade Officers Complete Landmark Training

Fifteen soldiers have completed the first-ever officer's course for the Hasmonean Brigade, the IDF's Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) infantry unit. The eight-month training program included professional studies, drills, and operational activity in Lebanon and Judea and Samaria. The graduation ceremony was held Tuesday atop the "Yeshivat Hakotel" in Jerusalem, with the graduates expected to assume command positions within the brigade.

Chief of Staff called the event historic, stating that the graduates were making history and forging a new path. He emphasized that the Haredi community is an integral part of Israeli society and highlighted the brigade's growing operational capabilities, noting it is being built as an infantry force capable of diverse offensive and defensive missions, including ground maneuvers.

The training was designed to balance IDF combat and command requirements with the participants' Haredi lifestyle, incorporating strict kashrut, prayer and study times, and a gender-appropriate environment, alongside meeting the professional standards of the Officers' School.

Lt. Col. G, who commanded the cadets for most of the training, noted that some soldiers initially doubted their suitability for command roles. However, after understanding the framework and assurances that their lifestyle could be maintained, they began considering officer tracks. Building the course presented significant challenges, requiring the brigade's staff to construct much of the infrastructure and adaptations themselves, without compromising professional standards.

Graduates will return to the Hasmonean Brigade to command Haredi soldiers, with the IDF viewing this as a key step in developing an internal command structure. Selection for the next officer's course, scheduled to open in November, has already begun.