A historic ceremony took place Tuesday night on the rooftop of the Western Wall Yeshiva in Jerusalem, where 15 graduates received their officer ranks—the first class of combat officers from the Hashmonaim Brigade, the IDF’s new ultra-Orthodox unit.
The ceremony was attended by IDF Manpower Directorate Chief Major General Dado Bar Kalifa and the brigade commander, Brigadier General Sh.
The 15 new officers, who make up the inaugural class of the brigade’s command track, completed roughly seven months of training under the Officers’ Training School (Bahad 1). The program was fully adapted to the ultra-Orthodox cadets’ lifestyle but maintained the same rigorous professional standards and training content with no compromises.
1+The newly commissioned officers already took part in operational activity in Lebanon and Judea and Samaria during their training. They’re set to take on key positions in the Hashmonaim Brigade, leading the brigade’s soldiers in operations across all sectors and forming a significant part of the future generation of ultra-Orthodox command in the IDF.
Major General Bar Kalifa delivered emotional remarks at the ceremony: “We stand here today at a historic moment. This is an hour of tremendous excitement and an important turning point. The IDF knew well that the operational need is urgent—this is wartime, and the entire nation is in danger—and understood the magnitude of the hour. What wasn’t possible in the past can and must happen today.”
Bar Kalifa addressed the new officers directly: “The course you’re completing today is the end of an unprecedented process. We demanded that you be the best in every field, to be both scholar and warrior. You stood the test, and you are worthy. Go forth, lead from the front, take care of your soldiers, preserve your unique identity, and be proud of the path you’ve chosen.”
1+Brigadier General Sh., commander of the Hashmonaim Brigade, added: “You left your father’s house for a mission of unparalleled importance—leading the mission of defending the people of Israel in their land. You did so with fear of heaven, with courage, with determination, and with professionalism. The brigade, established over two years ago, is an island of hope for the people of Israel, providing a home for the ultra-Orthodox public and ensuring full operational service at the tip of the IDF spear.”