Mahal Volunteer Programs

If the IDF Recruitment Bureau (Lishkat Giyus) finds you meet all criteria - except sufficient Hebrew skills - you will be enlisted into the IDF Ulpan (Hebrew study program) for 3 – 4 months before you begin service with your unit. (18 months in total including the IDF Ulpan). The IDF ulpan is located near Carmiel and combines learning Hebrew with basic training (non combat 02 riflemen). From the date of your enlistment into the IDF ulpan you are considered a soldier and will receive a monthly salary and lone soldier benefits.

If your Hebrew is poor and you are looking for the fast track into the IDF, the IDF ulpan is your only option. There are no "magic potions" to learn Hebrew. The IDF ulpan enlists three times a year. Plan correctly according to those dates. Unfortunately many individuals have contacted us for help to get them in to the regular draft when they failed the Hebrew test. It is not possible; one who fails will have to attend the IDF ulpan. Therefore in order to avoid monetary loss and hassle, if your Hebrew is not up to par make your plans according to the IDF ulpan dates.

Upon completion of the IDF ulpan you will be given the opportunity to choose which unit you would like to serve your remaining 14 months. Ideally the IDF will grant you one of your top two choices. However, ultimately the decision is based on your qualifications and the IDF's needs. For those interested, during the last month of the ulpan you will be allowed to participate in a tryout for tzanchanim (Paratroopers). To register see How to Join the IDF

Mahal w/o IDF Ulpan

If you score atleast a 6 on your Hebrew Test than you will first draft to Mihve Alon for a three week course called Olim LeYichidat Sade (Kors Yahas). There you will be acclimated into the IDF lifestyle. During the second week you are able to participate in the gibush tzanchanim (tryout for paratroopers). During the third week you will be given a questionnaire called a manila to choose which unit you would like to serve. At the end of the three weeks everyone is bused to the bakoom and given a meeting with a katzin meyun who will decide which unit you will serve. The total service for those who attend the Kors Yahas is 18 months including the course. To register see How to Join the IDF

Mahal Netzah Yehuda

Formaly known as Nahal Haradi. Netzah Yehuda was designed for the Haradim (Black Hat Community). The unit offers Glatt Kosher food, allocated time for learning and women are forbiddent o enter the confines of the base. Shabat observance is mandatory to enlist in the unit. There currently is no ulpan given to those with poor Hebrew. Soldiers learn Hebrew while training. For more info you can see the official site of Netzah Yehuda - http://www.nahalharedi.org

Service in Mahal Netzah Yehuda is 18 months. To register see How to Join the IDF

Mahal Hesder

Mahal Hesder is a unique track intended for religious students who want to serve in a special framework. Soldiers are required to study for 4 months in one of the 65 yeshivot hesder (IDF rabbinical colleges - see list below) approved by the IDF. This period of learning is followed by 17 months of army service.   

Mahal Hesder students serve in all units in the IDF. The IDF determines the unit that each yeshiva serves. For example, in August, 2011, Yeshivat Sederot was placed in Golani, and Yeshivat Yerucham was placed in Givati. Each year, the yeshivot switch units. Mahal Hesder volunteers serve side by side with Israeli hesder students.

Question: How do I register for Mahal Hesder?

Answer: To sign up for Mahal Hesder, you must first sign up through a hesder yeshiva. The army then registers you for the earliest hiyul.

Hiyul is the act of becoming a soldier at the induction office. At your Hiyul, you will receive a soldier identity card, dog tags and vaccinations. At the end of the day, you will be sent back to your yeshiva to begin your 5 - month learning period. During the time between your hiyul and your active service, your status is called Shalat (literally Sherut Lelo Tashlum, unpaid service, as you only receive soldier benefits while you are in active army service). There are usually 3 hiyulim a year: January, July and October.   

Mahal Hesder students only begin active army service in March or August, regardless of their hiyul date. 

From the time of your hiyul, the 21-month clock starts ticking (4 months of learning and 17 months of active army service). Depending on your date of enlistment, your learning period can be broken up. For example, if your hiyulis in January and you enlist in March, you will complete 3 months of your 4 - month learning time prior to enlistment. After you finish your active military service of 17 months, you will be required to finish another month of studies in yeshiva. If you opt to stay in the army longer than 17 months, your extra army time "counts" instead of your learning time. In our example, if you were to stay in the IDF until August, upon your discharge you would be finished with Mahal Hesder. 

 

Yeshiva	Location	Rosh HaYeshiva	Phone Number
Afikai Daat	Sederot	David Fendel	08-6611360
Ahavat Yisrael	Netivot	David Asulin	08-9933401
Aish HaTorah	Tel Aviv	Nir Yaacov Mas	03-5247361
Ayelet HaShahar	Eilat	Yosi Rodrigaz	08-6331198
Bait Moriya	Bear Sheva	Shimon Cohen	08-6288812
Bait Vaed	Otniel	Raim Cohen	02-9964241
Beit Orot	Jerusalem	Danny Izak	02-6284155
Beit Shaan	Bet Shaan	Shlomo Shushan	077-3009580
Bircat Moshe	Maale Adumim	Nachum Rabinowitz	02-5353655
Bircat Yosef	Alon More	Elyakim Levanon	02-9973905
Carmiel	Carmiel	Yaacov Yadid	04-9883207
Chan Bamidbar	Arad	Yanun Ilani	08-9974630
Cholon	Holon	Eliezer Aharonson	03-5587638
Derech Chaim	Kiryat Gat	Shlomo Levi	08-6882195
Dimona	Dimona	David Turgiman	08-6555230
Eli	Eli	Eli Sadan	02-9407888
HaGolan	Hispin	Amnon Shugerman	04-6763260
Haical Eliyahu	Cocav Yaacov	Shaul David Butzcho	02-9972023
HaKotel	Jerusalem	Baruch Veider	02-6288175
Har Etzion	Alon Shvut	Aharon Lichtenshtein	02-9937300
Har Shalom	Homesh	Mordechai Ganiram	02-9942130
Itamar	Itamar	Ronski	02-9978114
Karnai Shomron	Karnai Shomron	Shmuel HaBar	09-7929145
Kerem BeYavne	Kerem BeYavne	Mordechai Greenberg	08-8562007
Kiryat Shmona	Kiryat Shmona	Tzfonya Drori	04-6942616
Maale Efrayim	Maale Efrayim	Baruch Ganut	02-9400567
Maalot	Maalot	Yehoshua Weitzman	04-9979708
Machon Meir	Jerusalem	David Bigun	02-6511906
Meir Harel	Modiin	Eliezer Shenvald	08-9719935
Meiri	Jerusalem	Shmuel Zafrani	02-6527950
Midbar Caedan	Mitzpe Ramon	Tzvi Kostener	08-6588880
Nahar Deya	Nahariya	Eliyahu Blum	04-9520843
Nativ Ariyah	Jerusalem	Aharon Bina	02-6266333
Natzeret Elit	Natzeret Elit	Yehoshua Weitzman	04-9572029
Netiv Tefohot	Tefahot	Eyal Greiner	04-6785148
Netivot	Netivot	Yisrael Friedman	08-9945323
Netzer Matai	Ariel	Tzion Tovil	03-9068946
Neve Dekelim	Ashdod	David Gavrieli	08-9934363
Nir	Kiryat Arba	Dov Leor	02-9961775
Or Etzion	Or Etzion	Chaim Drukman	08-8586805
Or HaYeshua	Haifa	Eliyahu Rahamim Zini	04-8121048
Orot Aviv	Tel Aviv	Mishael Cohen	03-6878936
Orot Yaacov	Rehovot	Chaim Sabon	08-9485666
Peduel	Peduel	Meir Katz	03-9332856
Petach Tikva	Petach Tikva	Yuval Sharlo	03-9095045
Raanana	Raanana	Chaim Retig	09-7719020
Ramat Gan	Gan	YeHoshua Shapiro	03-6748424
Ramat HaSharon	Ramat HaSharon	Rueban Sason	03-5497238
Rauta	Carmel	Natan Ofnar	02-9605545
Rishon LaTzion	Rishon LaTzion	Shmuel Levi	03-9527175
Ruach Tzfonit	Acco	Yosef Stern	04-9913831
Shaalavim	Shaalavim	Yehezkial Yokovoson	08-9276520
Shadmot Neriya	Shadmot	Shlomo Rosenfeld	04-6099726
Shavai Shomron	Shavai Shomron	Yehoshua Smidt	09-8841946
Shilo	Shilo	Micael Brum	02-9960208
Shvut Yisrael	Efrat	Yehoshua Ben Meir	02-9933630
Siach Yitzchak	Siach	Yair Dreyfus	02-9938856
Tekoa	Tekoa	Chaim Cafri	02-9605094
Torat HaChaim	Yad Benyamin	Shmuel Tal	08-8691696
Tzfat	Tzfat	Ayal Yokovitz	04-6924646
Yafo	Yafo	Eliyahu Maali	077-4008796
Yeruham	Yeruham	Eliyahu Blumenzfeld	08-6580101