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"Hesder" means "arrangement", a 5-year religious-Zionist program combining yeshiva learning with abbreviated military service (~17-19 months instead of 32-36). About 70 hesder yeshivot enroll roughly 10,000 students. Founded 1953 by Rav Yehuda Amital after the IDF asked yeshiva graduates to choose between Torah and Tzahal, Amital said both. Distinct from haredi yeshivot (full draft exemption) and from full IDF service.
Cultural note, Hesder soldiers serve almost exclusively in elite combat units: Kfir, Givati, Golani, Tzanchanim, Sayeret Givati, Sayeret Tzanchanim. Despite shorter service, casualty rates are higher than average, a hesder soldier is more likely to be in active combat than a regular conscript. The motto "with one hand the sword, with the other the Talmud" is taken literally. When you meet someone with a "kippa srugah" who served in Givati, ~80% chance they did hesder.
The Hesder Path
Major Hesder Yeshivot
Daily Yeshiva Schedule
Combat Units & Roles
Hashkafa & Vocabulary
A Hesder Student Explains
A talmid hesder in shana bet talks with his visiting parent about the year ahead.