Israel honored its army reservists. Cut-rate spa massages and free cellphone calls were among the perks offered Sunday to thousands of Israeli men and hundreds of women who do up to three months of reserve duty a year in the armed forces. The first-ever national day of recognition was arranged amid growing complaints of reservists shirking duty on the grounds of conscience or convenience. Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz vowed to reform the reservist system to reduce the burden on soldiers’ families, as well as the risk that their civilian careers will suffer when they miss work for reserve duty.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.