Haredi Women IDF Employment Controversy Sparks Debate

A controversy is unfolding in Israel's haredi Orthodox community after dozens of women from the Ger Hasidic sect in the southern cities of Arad and Dimona discovered they had been employed as civilian IDF workers without their knowledge, according to their claims.

The women say they believed they were working for the Ministry of Defense in a civilian capacity through a program called "Neveh Midbar" (Desert Oasis), but payroll documents suggested otherwise. The discovery led the Ger Rebbe, the leader of one of the world's largest Hasidic groups, to order all the women to resign immediately.

Now the same employment initiative is reportedly targeting students at prominent Lithuanian haredi seminaries, including the Wolf and Meir seminaries. Haredi educators and community activists are mounting an effort to prevent what they describe as young women being misled about the nature of their employment.

The controversy touches on a sensitive issue in haredi society: many haredi Jews avoid direct employment with the IDF due to religious and ideological concerns, though civilian work for the Ministry of Defense is generally considered acceptable.

**How It Started: 2023**

The employment program began as a technology training initiative called "Neveh Midbar" for the Ministry of Defense. The work was conducted through the defense contractor Elbit and a company called Tlalei Arad, with the programmers employed directly through Tlalim Technologies—with no managerial or definitional connection to the IDF, according to the program's presentation.

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**2025: Contract Concerns and Missing Pay Stubs**

Last year, workers were told the incubator arrangement through Tlalim was ending and employment would continue as "direct hiring." The transition was presented as civilian employment with the Ministry of Defense.

According to the women's account, they were not permitted to receive copies of their employment contracts when they joined the program—something that could have clarified who their actual employer was.

On the day of signing, they were given only a few minutes to review the contract, which mentioned only "Ministry of Defense" and not the IDF. The Ger Rebbe had approved working for the Ministry of Defense but not under IDF auspices, the women said.

"For months we had to chase down representatives just to receive our pay stubs," the workers claimed. "And we weren't allowed to access the government's online personal area, they blocked us with excuses framed in religious terms."

February 2025: The Discovery

The first crack in the wall appeared when one worker accessed the government portal despite being told not to. There she found the surprise: she was officially classified as a civilian IDF employee.

A deeper investigation revealed the existence of two entirely different payroll documents for the same employment: the physical document handed to the worker after considerable pressure, and the official payroll document appearing in government systems. The incriminating detail: the deduction file number on both documents was identical and belonged to the IDF.

Legal experts speaking to Kikar Hashabat, the haredi news site that first reported the story, noted that issuing what appears to be a falsified or fictitiously adapted pay stub is a serious offense. The legal implications are currently being examined, including whether those involved in the alleged document manipulation will face charges.

2025: Religious Directive, Warning Notices, and Livelihood Concerns*

In recent weeks, warning notices began appearing in haredi population centers against the initiative, apparently posted by religiously concerned individuals who recognized the problematic nature of the arrangement.

The storm soon reached the highest levels of Ger Hasidism. After months of investigation, the final decision came down: all women employed in this framework were instructed to submit immediate resignation notices and terminate their employment within 30 days. "A Ger Hasid will not allow his wife to work in a place that doesn't have the Rebbe's blessing," sources in the community explained.

Simultaneously, Ger community activists took full responsibility for arranging alternative employment for the women and girls who left the positions, to ensure their household finances would not suffer as a result of following the religious directive.

The Battle Extends: Approaching Lithuanian Seminaries

The arena is now shifting to the Lithuanian haredi sector. Kikar Hashabat learned that the same organizers, recognizing the departure of Ger women, are now attempting to recruit students from prestigious Lithuanian seminaries including Wolf Seminary and Meir Seminary into the same program.

Haredi educators and rabbinical authorities are now waging an intensive campaign to warn seminary heads and parents, aiming to prevent young women from what they describe as falling into a trap. The effort seeks to ensure that students understand the full nature of any employment offer before accepting.

Defense Ministry Response

The Ministry of Defense provided the following statement: "The Ministry of Defense employs civilian IDF workers from all sectors for the benefit of the IDF, not within the framework of military service. The employment of civilian IDF workers is conducted in accordance with all laws and accepted employment arrangements, with transparency and according to the instructions of authorized officials.

"For reasons of information security and employee privacy protection, we cannot address details relating to projects, recruitment processes, or employee hiring beyond this."

Kikar Hashabat also contacted the managers of the Neveh Midbar program, but no response was received by publication time.