Three Ukrainian Brothers Make Aliyah, Join Chareidi IDF Battalion

The three Goldstein brothers made their journey from Ukraine to Israel, each demonstrating a profound affection for their new homeland by joining the IDF and serving in the chareidi Netzach Yehuda Battalion within the Kfir Brigade. The eldest among them, Yehoshafat, took the momentous step of relocating to Israel from Ukraine in 2014, amidst heightened tensions around the Crimean Peninsula.

Yehoshafat reminisces about his transformative encounter with Judaism, which began at a Kherson-based Chabad center when he was just 16. His explorations led him to the Karlin Yeshiva in Ukraine, an endeavor that not only deepened his own commitment to Judaism but also inspired his family to draw closer to their heritage. By the age of 22, he found himself enlisting in the IDF, specifically in a unit that integrates chareidim into the armed forces through roles within technology and logistics, and subsequently serving as a military escort driver in the Netzach Yehuda Battalion.

Following in his older brother’s footsteps, David Aharon, too, became a part of the chareidi battalion. In 2016, he made his way to Israel via the “Masa Israel Journey” program. Over a span of two years, he played a vital role as a combat support soldier, receiving commendation for his exceptional performance. After his service, he embarked on a software engineering study program.

The youngest of the Goldstein trio, Yosef, along with his family, immigrated to Israel in 2018. In November 2022, he also enlisted, currently taking on the role of an operational driver in the battalion. Just recently, the three brothers convened at Yehoshafat’s place, capturing a momentous image of three siblings proudly donning IDF uniforms.

Reflecting on their past in Ukraine, Yehoshafat recalls enduring instances of anti-Semitic bullying at school, an ordeal that often kept him homebound. He shares, “I always felt like a stranger in the country where I was born. My biggest dream was to come to Israel, and thankfully, our entire family had the privilege of making Aliyah to Israel and enlisting in the IDF with pride as Torah-observant Jews. Here, we know that this is our true home, where we can walk freely and defend ourselves.”

Addressing the question of how chareidim can maintain their faith while serving, Yehoshafat remarks, “The army builds the individual, and for those who claim that the army turns chareidi guys into secular ones, I say: If you come strong, there’s no reason to change in the army. I’ve seen many chareidi guys around me who enlisted and even became more religious. It all depends on how you approach it. In the future, I expect to see a much more extensive integration of chareidim in the army.”

Yossi Levy, the CEO of the Netzach Yehuda Association, highlights the battalion’s 25-year history of integrating chareidim into the IDF while maintaining their religious way of life. He notes that more than 10,000 chareidim have enlisted through this avenue.

{Matzav.com Israel}