COMMUNITY NEWS
One Nation, One Fight: Inside the Haredi Unit Reshaping Israel After October 7 For decades, Israeli society has struggled with one of its most sensitive and divisive questions: how to integrate the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) population into national service without erasing its deeply held religious values. At the center of this conversation stands Netzach Yehuda, the pioneering framework that made Haredi military service possible. Today, the organization is led by its CEO, Major (res.) Yossi Levi, a man whose personal journey mirrors the movement itself—one marked by internal struggle, courage, and a profound belief that faith and service are not opposites, but partners. From the Heart of Jerusalem’s Haredi World “I grew up in Jerusalem, in the core of the Haredi society,” Levi begins. Raised in neighborhoods considered the spiritual backbone of ultra-Orthodox life, his upbringing was immersed entirely in Torah learning. He attended mainstream Haredi schools and later studied in some of the most prestigious yeshivot, including Mir Yeshiva—one of the crown jewels of the Torah world. “In our education, everything revolves around learning Torah. That is the mission. That is the value system.” Like many young men in his community, military service was not part of the conversation. Israeli history, wars, and even basic secular subjects like math and En-
glish were largely absent from the curriculum. At first, Levi fully embraced that worldview. But during his years in yeshiva, something began to shift. “I realized that sitting and learning Torah all day, every day—it wasn’t built for me.” A Decision That Changed Everything When he first heard about a Haredi combat unit within the Israel Defense Forces, (Levi’s reac-
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tion was dismissive. “I said, I’m not going to waste three years for nothing.” At the time, he believed that if Torah learning was not his full-time calling, his future should be in business—not the army. In the Haredi world, the idea of military service often felt like a betrayal of spiritual purpose. But a mentor persisted, explaining that this was not “regular” army service—it was something different. Structured. Protected. Purpose-driven. Eventually, curiosity turned into conviction. In 2009, Levi enlisted in the Netzah Yehuda Battalion, a decision that placed him at odds with much of his family. “My family was completely against it,” he says openly. “My oldest brother told me it was better to die than to serve in the army.” Despite the opposition, he went forward. “Within three or four months, I understood everything,” he says. “I understood why it matters. Why