Israel’s famed Nahal–part military, part agricultural units–provide training for youngsters with special needs or special problems. Among them are youths from underprivileged slum families and the religiously observant. About 60 percent of Israel’s yeshiva students are trained in Nahal camps, according to Nahal commander Col. Zvi Levanon, in a report issued on the occasion of Nahal Day. He said that after a year of military-agricultural training, the youths return to their yeshivot but are subject to periodic calls for advanced training which they take in units composed entirely of observant soldiers. Col. Levanon said that 43 percent of the young men and 15 percent of the girls trained remain it the settlements after their military service ends.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
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.
