New immigrants spend about a year and more between the date of aliyah and the date they settle in the army • IDF Spokesman: "They need a year to get the best possible accommodation"

• Photo: Yossi Seliger

New immigrants who apply for security service are forced to spend months without action and without a family in Israel, as their recruitment date is one year and more than the date they immigrated to Israel, although their goal of immigrating to Israel was to enlist in the IDF.

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Every year, hundreds of young men and women immigrate to Israel to enlist in the IDF, some alone and some in various nuclei. According to the procedure, after being recruited to the IDF, they arrive at the Oak Tribute Base, where they study Hebrew in the studio and then continue their military service in the various units.

But many calls to Israel today indicate that immigrants who came to Israel specifically to enroll were given a one-year recruitment date, and even more, leaving young new immigrants for months without being able to work neatly, in a burdensome and unnecessary situation.

Recruiters to IDF: "You can pre-date" // Photo: Yossi Zeliger

"I immigrated to Israel last August," says B, a new immigrant from California. After going through a studio and acclimating to the kibbutz, she received a recruitment date - for December next year. She will enlist, spend three months in an oak tribute, and only then will she reach the unit that made it to Israel. "I want to be an IDF medic. I didn't plan to wait a year. I will not be able to find a decent job because who will take someone for a year. There is no reason in my eyes to let me just wait. "

Israel Today's investigation shows that this is not a single case and not an IDF mistake, but a policy according to which the recruitment date is set for one year from the date of immigration. IDF officials with whom we spoke noted that the reasoning behind the decision is to allow soldiers to acclimate to Israel before enlisting. According to them, young recruits, some of whom come from third world countries and face widespread language and mental difficulties, need time to complete gaps. However, they agreed that there is room to wonder if a year is not too long to wait. "Certainly there are people who fall between the chairs because it's a whole year," one of the officials said.

It also turns out that the IDF does not meet their own requirements, too - many who come through various nuclei and bodies are recruited within a few months, but those who come independently are forced to wait.

"I want to enlist in the army this April and not wait until December," S. tells us, also a new immigrant from the United States. The fact that she immigrated about six months ago and needs to wait another year for recruiting is frustrating. "I want to serve the country, It's not supposed to be complicated. "

Arguments about the need for legitimate adaptation, all the officials say, but is there a waiting year? Opinions differ. The IDF claims that everyone who calls for a service that requests to advance their recruitment date receives an immediate response, and that most of them do not want to shorten the waiting time, but on the other hand, there are dozens who apply for a shortcut every year. Others do not know how to do so. According to the response: "In accordance with the IDF policy, new immigrants will be recruited a year after their arrival in Israel for their best acclimatization. Immigrants who wish to advance their recruitment and give up the acclimatization year can apply and it will be considered. "