Earlier this week, the Israel Prison Service announced it had recruited haredi (Ultra-Orthodox) national servicemen in a bid to increase diversity in prison staff.
The recruits came from various sectors in the haredi community and were recruited on the basis that they had expressed a strong desire to contribute to the war effort.
The IPS recruited the 12 haredi national servicemen as part of their non-military national service.
Additionally, three more national service members are expected to advance in the recruitment process, with expectations that they will enlist in the coming month.
Important part of the process
Lieutenant-Warden Shai Vaknin, head of prison service recruitment, said, "This morning we held one of the most exciting recruitment days in recent years."
"Especially now, when the public discourse revolves around the conscription law, we had the privilege of recruiting 12 new prison guards from the ultra-orthodox sector into the ranks of the organization," he continued. "The new recruits have today become ambassadors of the prison service in their communities."
Chief Warrant Officer Amit Hadar, coordinator of Haredi integration in the prison service, said, "Recruiting national service members contributes to high employment productivity, to the state and to the families of the recruits. I am confident that we will continue to bear fruits over the years and hear about many more recruitment days."
Israel has been in the throes of debate on national service for the haredi sector, who have traditionally been exempt from the draft.
Several solutions have been proposed, ranging from enforced military conscription to enforced national service in non-military government institutions.