In a historic milestone for the IDF, the first group of ultra-Orthodox soldiers from the Hasmonean Brigade has completed officer training.

Fifteen cadets successfully finished the eight-month course and are set to receive their officer ranks at a ceremony near the Western Wall this evening.

The graduates include soldiers who began their military careers in the Hasmonean Brigade, alongside Haredi servicemen who transferred from other units to take on leadership positions.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir met with the graduates today, praising them for “making history and breaking new ground.”

He described the new officers as leaders helping fulfill a vision for the Jewish people, emphasizing that the Haredi community is an integral part of Israeli society and that their success is significant for both the military and the nation.

The training maintained the full professional standards of the IDF’s Bahad 1 officers’ school while accommodating ultra-Orthodox religious practices, including strict kosher dietary requirements, scheduled prayer and Torah study, and a gender-segregated environment.

The historic graduation marks another step in the IDF’s efforts to integrate Haredi soldiers into combat and command roles amid ongoing military personnel shortages.

A second officers’ course for the Hasmonean Brigade is scheduled to begin in November.