For the first time in its history, the Israeli Defence Forces opened its doors Wednesday for recruits on the autistic spectrum.
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Fifty-three high-functioning Israelis joined the military following months of preparations that included working with experts, redesigning shoes and setting up tailor-made mentoring systems.
Having only been able to serve in the military's volunteer programs thus far, they no longer have to limit their service applications.
Besides providing these young people with opportunities that were denied to them in the past, the IDF also believes their skills would be an asset to the military in terms of cyber protection, quality assurance, system development, and other disciplines.
Seventy more autistic Israelis are expected to join the IDF in December, another 350 next year, and hopefully, another 500 annually from then on.
The move was praised by recruits, parents and other Israelis alike.
"The integration of autistic youth into the IDF is a wonderful initiative," Yehuda Marmorstein, CEO of Aleh, a non-governmental organization that works with youth with disabilities, said.
"As an organization that works with disabled youth we come across rejections from time to time, and it can be heartbreaking. But successes like these are enormous. These young people can contribute a lot, and they are not a burden to society at any point. On the contrary!"
Nevertheless, the IDF is not planning to make military service for autistic Israelis obligatory.
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