IDI analysis shows National-Religious men driving shift in IDF reserve duty as overall numbers fall

The Israel Democracy Institute (IDI) has published an analysis revealing a significant shift in the composition of Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) reserve units during the Israel-Hamas War, highlighting the disproportionate involvement of national-religious men and the near absence of Haredim. Conducted by IDI researchers Dr. Ariel Finkelstein and Roe Kenneth Portal using Central Bureau of Statistics Labor Force Survey data from 2023 to 2025, the study shows how the demographics of reserve service have evolved amid the ongoing conflict. The analysis indicates that national-religious men became increasingly overrepresented in the reserves compared to their share of the general population. By 2025, 31% of national-religious men were serving in the reserves, despite making up only 15% of the country’s demographic makeup, more than double their proportional representation. This trend contrasts sharply with the participation rates of secular men, who saw the most substantial decline in service among all groups. While secular men remained the largest segment of reservists on an average monthly basis, their participation dropped significantly over time. Haredim, meanwhile, were almost entirely excluded from reserve service, with only 0.3% of Haredi men participating in any given month. This figure represents a dramatic contrast to their demographic presence, underscoring a marked disengagement from military service within this community. The overall participation rate in reserve duty declined year by year across all groups, though the patterns varied notably between religious and secular segments. National-religious men exhibited a particularly high likelihood of being called upon for reserve duty, with an average of 4.1% serving each month by 2025. This compares to 2.6% for traditional men, 1.7% for secular men, and 0.3% for Haredim. These figures reflect a sharp divergence from the early stages of the war, when 15.2% of national-religious men served per month, alongside similar rates for traditional and secular men. The study also examined gender disparities in reserve participation. Women accounted for approximately 13.5% of all reservists on average during 2023–2024, contradicting earlier reports that suggested they comprised 18% to 22% of the reserves. Secular and traditional women were overrepresented in terms of their population shares, with 2.0% and 1.6% respectively serving monthly in 2023–2024. In contrast, religious women participated at a much lower rate, contributing just 0.7% of the total. Sectoral trends further illustrate the changing landscape of reserve service. In 2023, the high-tech industry recorded the highest rate of workers leaving their jobs for reserve duty, with 16.5% of employees participating. This was followed by the business sector at nearly 15% and the public sector at 9.4%. However, by 2025, these patterns reversed, with high-tech workers participating at the lowest rate of the three sectors at 2.3%, compared to 3.1% in business and 2.6% in the public sector. Geographic factors also played a role in shaping participation rates. Religious men residing in rural areas were more likely to serve in the reserves than those in urban centers. Yet, there was minimal variation in participation rates between urban and rural secular men, indicating that location had less influence on their decision to join the reserves. As the war continues, these shifting dynamics underscore the complex interplay between religion, identity, and national service in Israeli society. The IDI’s findings highlight the growing divide in reserve participation and raise questions about the broader implications for social cohesion and military readiness. The situation remains fluid, with ongoing changes in both demographic patterns and sectoral contributions.