ABSTRACT
The issue of the role of Jewish religion and of religious Jews in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has two somewhat contradictory but related aspects: the de facto exemption of Charedi yeshiva students from military service altogether, and the growing prominence of Religious Zionists in combat roles and in the military command structure. Mandatory military service of three years for men and about two years for women is required by law of all citizens of Israel, with the exception of women who are married, pregnant or mothers. Jewish women can be exempted if they declare that military service violates their religious beliefs, and they have the option of doing an alternative, civilian service; this option is taken mostly by national-religious women. Theocratization is the effect of the involvement of civilian rabbis teachers in yeshivot hesder and mechinot, as well as these teachers' own rabbis in both the daily affairs and operational decisions of the IDF.
