Publications

In the seventh article from INSS memorandum no. 159, “Military Service in Israel: Challenges and Ramifications,” Olena Bagno-Moldavsky addresses the IDF conscription of ultra-Orthodox Jews and considers the economic impact of military service on the future of the Israeli ultra-Orthodox men who serve in the military. Her conclusion is that ultra-Orthodox conscription has only a marginal economic impact on this group, despite its potential to forge close relations between different groups within the Israeli population, due in part to the legitimacy that is likely to be enjoyed by ultra-Orthodox Jews who serve in the army (this is comparable to the processes experienced by the national-religious sector in past years). According to Bagno-Moldavsky, even if it does not serve to improve their economic situation, this sharing of the burden may strengthen the political status of the ultra-Orthodox in Israel.