Due to its unique security situation, Israel has a general compulsory military draft and requires two to three years of service from young Jewish men and women. Many women claim exemption from military service, on the basis of religious lifestyle. Such exemption is granted automatically and at times taken advantage of by non-religious women. Some religiously observant young Jewish women choose the option of a national service year volunteer program which allows them to fulfill their national duty in an environment which is more suited to their religious practice. 

 

Although there is no law in Israel exempting ultra-Orthodox men from military service, there is a long-standing political policy of automatically granting deferments, until they reach and age at which they qualify for age-based exemption. Exemptions are granted in response to tremendous political pressure from the ultra-Orthodox parties. In 1948 David Ben-Gurion granted the first exemptions to some 400 yeshiva students, mostly survivors of the European yeshiva world destroyed in the holocaust. Today the number of deferments today has exploded to over 50,000. Despite being a flagrant breach of equality, this situation persists.

 

Today, 14% of eligible18-year-old Jewish men evade military service by studying at an ultra-Orthodox yeshiva. More than double the rate 15 years ago. By 2020 the number of exemptions is expected to reach 25%.