Israeli Defense Minister Orders New Plan for Chabad Yeshiva Enlistment After Failure of Previous Agreements Harms The Military

by CrownHeights.info

Defense Minister Yisrael Katz has directed the Defense Ministry and the IDF to resolve the ongoing dispute surrounding the status of Chabad talmidei yeshivos and formulate a new framework to replace the previous arrangement, according to a report by Channel 14.

The directive comes after the IDF reportedly concluded that ending the long-standing “Chabad arrangement” in August 2025 had significant consequences for the military. Under the previous system, the IDF benefited from hundreds of highly motivated Chabad recruits who later enlisted, helping the army meet its Chareidi enlistment goals.

Katz’s involvement follows months of negotiations between senior IDF officials and representatives of the Chabad community that ultimately failed to produce a new agreement.

Since 2016, the special arrangement enabled Chabad talmidei yeshivos to spend a year studying at the Chabad-Lubavitch World Headquarters at 770 Eastern Parkway as part of the traditional “Kvutza” year. Participants signed a commitment to enlist in the IDF upon reaching the age of 26.

The framework came to an end after Israel’s High Court struck down the draft law, leaving no legal basis for its continuation. Multiple attempts to establish a replacement agreement have since been unsuccessful.