Gur Hasidic Women Employed as Civilian IDF Workers Without Consent, Now Targeting Lithuanian Seminaries
A major controversy has erupted in the ultra-Orthodox community after it was revealed that dozens of women from the Gur Hasidic sect in Arad and Dimona were employed as civilian workers for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) without their knowledge. According to the women, this employment was carried out under the directive of their rabbis but without informing them, and involved the use of falsified pay slips. The scandal led to an immediate order within the Gur community to cease this employment, with all women resigning within 30 days.
The employment began in 2023 under a program called "Neve Midbar" through companies including Elbit and Tallei Arad, with the women officially hired by Tallei Technologies rather than the IDF directly. In 2025, the women were told the arrangement would shift to direct employment by the Ministry of Defense, but they were denied copies of their contracts and faced obstacles accessing official pay slips, which later were found to be falsified. In February 2026, one woman accessed the government personnel portal and discovered she was officially registered as a civilian IDF employee, revealing two different pay documents for the same job, one authentic and one forged.
Legal experts have noted that issuing forged pay slips is a serious offense, and investigations into potential criminal liability are ongoing. In August 2026, warnings about the project circulated within ultra-Orthodox communities, prompting the Gur leadership to order an immediate halt and resignation from the women involved. Community leaders also committed to ensuring alternative employment to support the women financially.
Currently, the controversy is expanding as the same organizers are reportedly attempting to recruit students from leading Lithuanian seminaries such as Seminar Wolf and Seminar Meir into similar employment schemes. Educational and rabbinical authorities are actively working to prevent these seminaries’ students from becoming involved. The Ministry of Defense responded that civilian employment for the IDF is conducted legally and transparently but declined to comment on project specifics due to security and privacy concerns. "Kikar HaShabbat" will continue to monitor and report on developments.
