Twenty-year-old Sergeant Yitzhak grew up in an Ultra-orthodox home. He has a large family in Bnei Brak, with 14 siblings, and he was not obligated to enlist. But Yitzhak chose to sign a waiver giving up his yeshiva student status and serve in the IDF after a decision to leave religion.
"For me, it's a double gain – both to live the lifestyle I choose and also to give three years to the country," he says proudly. "I knew the choice to enlist would come at the price of family, and I was willing to take that risk because it was important for me to enlist. I went alone to the recruitment office and went through the enlistment process like anyone else in the country."
Yitzhak cut off contact with his family, and for a few months was part of the Givati Brigade's 432nd Infantry Battalion, also known as Tzabar. Today he serves as an operations manager in the Givati Brigade's operations department.
"I serve in a frontline brigade and take an active part in combat. The feeling is that you are part of something bigger than yourself and all of us, and you are contributing your part to this big thing. The transition from Bnei Brak to Givati is a very stark one. I was sure it would be partly difficult because I was open to other worlds, but I was a bit in shock. The first time I was in the army on Shabbat and could choose not to observe it without hiding, I was in shock. It's a different feeling.
"I now live in a soldiers' home in Tel Aviv, and am part of the Michael Levin Lone Soldiers organization. Here I meet soldiers with a similar background to mine, receive a listening ear and a warm corner, and mainly a sense of belonging. People who went through similar experiences to mine and took an unconventional path like me understand me more than those who had it easy to enlist or come from a different background."
Yitzhak has a firm opinion on Haredi enlistment in the military, "Everyone needs to contribute to the country – regardless of their way of life and the community they belong to. I had a choice, but my friends in Givati did not have a choice, they were obligated to enlist by law and this is an improper situation, that only people like me can choose.
"I enlisted out of choice and on my own. I simply Googled, found a form to waive yeshiva student status, and signed it. In less than three months I received my first draft notice and went through the whole enlistment process. It was clear to me that I was going to a combat role in order to contribute as much as possible. Initially, they assigned me to a non-combat role, and I fought to get to Givati. After all, I didn't just give up my yeshiva student status for nothing. I'm happy I got to where I am."
