How to make Aliyah
How to Join Machal
Join a Combat Unit
Join the Special Forces
How to become a Commander/Officer

Making Aliyah

Thinking about Aliyah? Here is the simple process of becoming an Israeli Citizen.

Application
Interview
Approval
Flight
Final Steps

Six to eight months before your estimated Aliyah date, begin your Aliyah paperwork by completing the appropriate application.

Once you submit your application, you will receive a confirmation letter with a username and password which grants you access to a personal web page. This page will allow you to track the status of your Aliyah file, including which documents have been received and those that are outstanding.

As part of the Aliyah process, an interview with your local Aliyah Shaliach (The Jewish Agency for Israel representative) will be required.  You will be asked to present all the aforementioned original documents (see above, step 1) which is returned to you during your meeting.

If you are making Aliyah from the United Kingdom, the Shaliach will open a Tik Aliyah (Aliyah file) on your behalf.

For a listing of local Shlichim, click here.

There is a separate acceptance process for Nefesh B’Nefesh and The Jewish Agency for Israel.  Your application will be reviewed by both organizations, and you will receive separate notification letters.

After all the preparations, don’t forget to enjoy your own Aliyah! Join a Nefesh B’Nefesh Aliyah flight, which is in and of itself, an unforgettable experience! Nefesh B’Nefesh is thrilled to welcome you as part of our growing family of Olim!

Mazal Tov! You are now an Israeli citizen. There are a few more steps to complete the process to help you get settled in to your new home. This includes visiting many government offices, opening a bank account, receiving your identification card (Teudat Zehut), applying for a temporary passport (Teudat Ma’avar), and planning your next steps.

NBN - JA Application
Interview with Shaliach
Aliyah Approval
Flight and Processing
Israeli Citizen

Joining Mahal

Mahal is a 18 month volunteer program in the IDF. You do not have to be an Israeli Citizen, but will still be a full IDF soldier. For more information and to register for Mahal go to www.mahal-idf-volunteers.org

Register Online
Arrive in Israel
Government Offices
IDF Recruitment Office - Tzav Rishon
Drafting

Go to the Mahal Site, Fill out the form, and start gathering the needed documents. They will pre-check your qualifications andusually reply within a few days. Once they approved your info, it will be forwarded to the Ministry of Defence (MoD) or the IDF. You will then be in contact with the MoD/IDF to set your enlistment date.

Plan to arrive in Israel about 2 months prior to your enlistment date, in order to register in person with the MoD, Jewish Agency (JA), Ministry of Interior (MoI) and the IDF. This is also when you need to setup an Israeli Bank account and arrange your living situation.

You will need to Contact the MoD, Jewish Agency and MoI to arrange an interviews and get all your documents validated. For more detailed steps HERE.

Bring your documents including the health certificate. At the IDF Recruitment Bureau: about 5 hours of recruitment procedures including the medical exam.  If you do not have immediate family in Israel, return for registration as a Chayal Boded (Lone Soldier).

On your enlistment day you will go to the Bakum (Induction Center). You will have a full day of testing, interviews and receive your equipment. Congratulations! You are an IDF Soldier and will begin your training.

Register Online
Move to Israel
Contact the Mod/JA/MoI
Lishkat Giyus
Draft

Joining a Combat Unit

This is the most common path for lone soldiers serving as Lochemim (combat soldiers). Below are the basic steps you will take to choose a unit and go through the unit training.

*If you have made Aliyah, you will not be required to serve in your first year in Israel. You may request to have your draft moved up by sending a letter to the IDF. The lone soldier center can help you in this process. You will then receive your Tzav Rishon (first draft notice) in the mail. 

Tzav Rishon (IDF Recruitment Office)
Yom Giyus (Draft Day)
Michve Alon (Hebrew Course)
Tironut (Basic Training)
Imun Mitkadem (Advanced Training)
Maslul (Adavanced Field Training)
Sadir (Active Duty)

Your Tzav Rishon includes information about your first appointment with Lishkat Hagiyus and includes a medical questionnaire which helps the army determine your physical profile (medical classification). You fill out the first part yourself; the second part needs to be filled out by a doctor. The completed form must be sent back to the IDF within 14 days of receipt. It allows the army to determine which doctors or specialists you need to see upon your arrival at the Lishkat Hagiyus for your Tzav Rishon.

While at Lishkat Hagiyus you will rotate through different stations with a special card/sticker that you will receive at the entrance to the center. The Lishkat Hagiyus’ goal is that you reach all of the stations in a single day. However, depending upon the day, the process may take longer — so keep that possibility in mind, for your own scheduling purposes.

On the morning of your Yom Giyus, report to the Bakum indicated on your Tzav Giyus. After a short registration (and last minute goodbyes to friends or family members), you are sent on a bus with other draftees to start your recruitment procedures. You will move through stations, receive your gear, hogar (ID), dog tags, shots, and have a few interviews. After this process you will meet your commanders and take a bus to your new base.

If you have a low Hebrew level (determined by the IDF at your Tzav Rishon) will be required to begin their army service with a three-month Army Hebrew Course at the Michve Alon base. This course is devoted to giving Olim Chadashim the necessary Hebrew skills to succeed in the Army. The course includes one month of basic training.

If you have a high Hebrew level, and are being drafted into a combat unit, will be required to begin their service with a three-week preparatory course at the Michve Elon base called Olim LeYachash. This course is devoted to preparing these soldiers both mentally and physically for a successful army service in a combat unit. Participating soldiers in this course will meet a placement officer near the end of the course to determine unit placement.

Basic training courses vary significantly depending on your unit placement and the location. There are different levels of basic training for Kravi (combat) soldiers, who are on training level 05 or 07. Within each of these groups, the approach to basic training tends to be different on each base.

Despite the differences, certain elements are constant to basic training. Every course includes gun training, physical training and requires soldiers to help guard the base. You will be trained in matters of discipline and expected to complete tasks within defined time periods. There will be a sense of distance between you and your commanders, which means that you will need to learn how to approach them appropriately and ask permission for a range of requests.

In this advanced training you will be assigned different roles with your unit and sent to courses. This roles could be; combat medic, sharpshooter, squad automatic gunner, special weapon operator, radio operator, APC driver’s course, and close-quarter training. Most of the advanced training is held in the field and will include live-fire drills.

In each combat unit you will have to complete Muslol. This is an advanced course and your last step to becoming a full IDF combat soldier. In the muslol, you will assigned to a new pluga (company). You will start taking on the responsibilities of a combat soldier; guarding borders, first responder squad, war week, patrols, and you will learn assigned area of duty.

You have now completed all your formal training. The rest of your service requires you to use all the skills you have been taught. You will be faced with challenges throughout your service.

Tzav Rishon
Bakum (Draft)
Michve Alon
Tironut
Imun Mitkadem
Maslul
Sadir

Joining the Special Forces

Select recruits in right physical and mental condition can try out to be soldiers in the most elite units of the IDF. This is a huge privilege and takes hard work, but it is possible for lone soldiers to reach these units. If you want to be considered for one of these units you must state such at your Tzav Rishon.

There are two ways to get into a Sayarot. The first way is to get invited to Yom HaSayarot, a day of intense physical and mental tests. If you pass this you will move on to other gibbushim (tryouts). The second way is to first start training in a combat unit and after a few days/weeks they will hold a gibbush for select special units.

Lishkat Giyus (Recruitment Office)
Gibushim (Unit Tryouts)
Yom Gius (Draft Day)
Tironut (Basic Training)
Imun Mikadem (Advanced Training)
Maslul (Advanced Field Training)

You will receive your Tzav Rishon like any other combat recruit *See Above. However, it is very important to make it known from this point forward that you want to tryout for the special forces. This is how you can get an invitation to participate in Yom HaSayarot (Special Forces Day).

There are two ways for you to tryout for a special unit.

  1. Yom HaSayarot: A very hard day of physical and mental testing. Those who take part and succeed in passing the tests are in turn invited to one of three other, longer tests: Gibush Matkal, Gibush Shayetet, or Gibush Hovlim. You will then have to complete one of these Gibushim before you begin basic training. This is the only way to get into the most elite units.
  2. Unit Gibbushim: In this path you will draft like any other combat soldier into a unit. Every battalion has its own special force unit. After a few weeks you will be able to take part in the Gibbush. Make sure you tell your commanders from the first day that you are interested. Click here for more specific info on each gibush.

Once you have passed all the gibushim if you took path 1, you will draft right away to your elite unit at the Bakum (induction center). Some units will train with other special units for basic training. If you took path 2, you train with a general combat unit, do the gibushim for the special units, and then move to the special unit after you pass a gibush.

Basic training courses vary significantly depending on your unit placement and locations. Despite the differences, certain elements are constant to basic training. Every course includes gun training, physical training and requires soldiers to help guard the base. You will be trained in matters of discipline and expected to complete tasks within defined time periods.

In advanced training you will be assigned different roles with your unit and sent to courses. These roles could be: combat medic, sharpshooter, squad automatic gunner, special weapon operator, radio operator, APC driver, and you will have close-quarter training. Most of the advanced training is held in the field and will include live-fire drills.

In each combat unit you will have to complete Muslul. This is an advanced course and your last step to becoming a full IDF combat soldier. In the muslul, you will be assigned to a new pluga (company). You will start taking on the responsibilities of a combat soldier: guarding borders, first responder squad, war week, patrols, and you will learn assigned areas of duty.

Lishkat Giyus
Gibuismim/Yom Hasyarot
Bakum
Tironut
Imun Mikadem
Maslul

Becoming an Commander/Officer

If you are wanting to become a commander and/or officer here are the steps you will take. Being an IDF commander is a great privilege and if you are willing/wanting to serve more time you may also be selected to go through these special trainings.

*It is very important to let your commanders know early that you are interested in going to commander’s course and/or officers course.

Draft
Basic/Advanced Training
Request/Testing
Commanders Course
Bahad 1 (Officer Training Base)
Assignment

You will draft as all other soldiers in the IDF. However it is very important to have a high level of Hebrew even at this point in drafting.

No matter if you are combat or noncombat you will have to go through a regular training process like all soldiers. Depending on the time of year and unit, the length of these trainings will vary.

You should have made it known early in your training that you are interested in being a commander or officer. Be aware of when your unit is sending soldiers to these courses to make sure you are picked. It is really up to your commanding officers to send you. If you are selected to go to Bahad 1, the officer’s course, you will have to test into the course. This test includes IDF knowledge, Hebrew, and leadership questions.

Commanders Course is within your unit and will prepare you to lead other soldiers within the unit. The length depends on your unit and position.

Bahad 1 is a base located in Southern Israel. Officers train for 4 months with other candidates from around the IDF.
Video from Bahad 1

At the end of your training, you will move on for more training if in a special unit or you will graduate with the rank of Segen mishne (2nd Lieutenant) and be assined a postion and unit. Combat officers will return to their unit in most cases. It is very common for non-combat officers to be assigned to another unit.

Draft
Basic/Advanced Training
Request/Testing
Commander Course
Officer Course
Assignment