This colourful poster is a recruitment poster for female soldiers. Interestingly, the advert focuses on the fact that once female soldiers volunteer for service, male soldiers are able to fight at the front rather than focusing their attentions on office duties. This focus, which nowadays would be seen as sexist, represents the fact that, for many years, female soldiers were not allowed to join combat units.
Before the State of Israel was established, around twenty percent of the fighting force was female, and the Haganah stated that it was open to: “Every Jewish male or female, who is prepared and trained to fulfil the obligation of national defence.” Upon the establishment of the IDF following the birth of the State, women were recruited to the new army in a separate corps. David Ben-Gurion suggested calling the corps Chen, literally meaning grace but also the acronym of for Cheyl Nashim – the Hebrew word for women’s corps. The new Women’s Corps was established by women who had previously served in the British Army and the Haganah, including Shoshana Gershonowitz and Sarah (Surika) Braverman.
The State of Israel obligates eighteen-year-old women to serve in the army for a period of two years. Over the years women have mainly served in non-combat duties assisting the combat units and in social and education work for both the military and the civilian sectors. Recently, increasingly more combat duties have been opened to women. While most sectors of the public believe in the importance of women serving in the army, some religious communities are opposed and these women do a different form of national service.
Would You Like to Know More?
Women in the IDF -The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) is one of the only armies in the world with mandatory army service for women. Women participated in the military even before the establishment of the State of Israel, serving in the paramilitary organisations such as Hashomer, Hagana, Palmach, and Etzel. In 1948, with the founding of the State, military service was made compulsory for all men and women over the age of 18. Women enlist in the IDF for two years, and after basic training they serve in a variety of duties. While a majority of the female soldiers work in non-combat roles such as clerks, welfare officers, nurses, and instructors, most of the roles in the IDF are open to female soldiers, including service in combat units. In fact, in recent years there has been a huge increase in the number of women serving in combat units, leading to a ongoing public debate about the necessity, effectivity, and even justification of their role in these units. Some women chose to be exempted from military service on religious grounds. Of these religious women, many choose instead to do Sherut Leumi (national service) in civilian institutions.
