Air Force opens new unit for religious women in operational roles
“They are voting with their feet, and we must support them by creating suitable units and providing appropriate spiritual guidance"
The Israeli Air Force announced Wednesday the creation of a new unit designed specifically for young religious women, as the military works to expand access to operational service while accommodating religious observance.
The unit, whose activities will remain classified, will be part of a new special Air Force formation announced earlier this year. It will include female soldiers who undergo combat military training before joining operational units.
According to the IDF, the initiative reflects lessons learned from the October 7, 2023, attacks and the growing need to increase the number of women serving in key operational positions.
The program, expected to begin in November 2026, will include advanced training, navigation exercises, observation missions, cooperation with Air Force squadrons, and specialized instruction.
The move follows similar frameworks created over the past two years in combat intelligence, Gaza Division operations rooms, Central Command, the northern front, and the Israeli Navy.
The initiative also comes amid growing demand among young women from the religious Zionist community to serve in operational roles. Recruits will serve under female commanders and receive spiritual guidance to help address religious questions during their military service.
Rabbi Ehad Taharlev, head of the Maaminot Bemadim institute within the Or Torah Stone network, welcomed the decision, saying nearly half of religious education graduates now choose military service over national service.
“They are voting with their feet, and we must support them by creating suitable units and providing appropriate spiritual guidance,” he said.