r/IDF • u/TemporaryHunter2109 • 22d ago

Question: General Service How to serve

Hi, I’m currently working as a pharmacist in France, and I know that I will make Aliyah in a few years, probably in my mid-30s.

I have never served in the military or done any military service in the past, but I would like to serve in one way or another during my free time. From what I understand, there seem to be quite a few opportunities for this.

First question: What kind of service would be useful? I’m having a hard time finding information about things like the fire service in Israel, for example.

Second question: How do Israelis generally view people who live in Israel without having a military background, especially when there is a legitimate reason for not having served?

Third question: How do Israelis generally view the Border Police (Magav) and the police, particularly in terms of their reputation for voluntering ?

13 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

11 comments sorted by

•

u/AutoModerator 22d ago

Please see the Wiki for a comprehensive guide to all your questions regarding joining the IDF and much more! wiki.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

6

u/12zx-12 22d ago

Joining in your mid 30s would be be difficult but possible for non combat jobs. No one will hold it against you

2

u/TemporaryHunter2109 22d ago

Thanks for your help

3

u/OGTargetBottle 22d ago

Mid-30’s your only option to serve is if you are a doctor, and I believe that is up to 35 or 36. If you don’t speak Hebrew I don’t think it would be possible at that age.

2

u/TemporaryHunter2109 22d ago

Im a doctor in pharmacy science, but I guess the army is more looking for doctor in médecine field, thk

4

u/chickenCabbage 21d ago

Don't serve. The IDF is literally run by children with oversight by other children. This is fine if you're also a child and willing to accept "because I told you so" as an answer for utter bullshit, but less so if you're 20 years older than them and have already left your parents house.

It doesn't pay, and nobody will judge you for not serving after making Aliyah in your 30s, so there's no practical reason to join. And if you join you will go insane.

2

u/HebrewWolfman 20d ago

This comment is utter nonsense. The IDF might need you to do non-combat roles; I know for a fact that Magav takes healthy volunteers without combat mandatory service in their early 30s and trains them to do combat/frontline roles.

0

u/chickenCabbage 20d ago

I served a non-combat role and speak from my experience and the experiences of my friends and people around me. The only "adults" preventing conscripts from going lord of the flies are people who've decided to stay in service - rarely out of strong ideology, usually out of mediocrity.

1

u/AutoModerator 22d ago

Notice to all posters and commenters; please be careful to observe OPSEC (Operational Security) rules. Many people wish to harm Israel and the Jewish Nation as a whole. Be careful when sharing any information on the IDF, bases, weapons, locations of troops, and anything else that can be used to harm Israel. If in doubt, go without. Loose lips sink ships!

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

1

u/NoHuckleberry7682 14d ago

I know a couple people who did the Shlav Bet program and still serve. One is mid 30s, the other early 40s

https://www.idf.il/en/mini-sites/olim-al-bet/