​Military service features prominently in the Israeli experience. The IDF is a citizens' army and serving in it is regarded as a rite of passage into mainstream Israeli society. Prior to the establishment of the State, people served in undergound military organizations, the Hagana, as well as in the British army during World War II. During the War of Independence, Israel was in many senses governed by the IDF.

The IDF is thus a fundamental component of Israeli national identity and representative of Israeli society apropos the outside world. Military service is a pivotal experience for most Israeli citizens. This is widely reflected in the publications that served as a means of communication between the IDF and civil society.