MiluimTech, an Israeli non-profit supporting reservists’ return to the high-tech sector, launched Café Ba’Hazor in Tel Aviv in December, registering more than 1,000 reservists within 48 hours.
The nationwide program connects reservists with senior executives across Israel’s tech ecosystem to address mounting reintegration hurdles after extended reserve duty. Executives from global and local firms, including Google, Amazon, Varonis, Similarweb, and HiBob, have joined the effort.
Rapid sign-ups reflect wider strain on tech workforce
High-tech employees constitute a disproportionate share of Israel’s reserve force, and prolonged call-ups since the Gaza war have disrupted company operations. MiluimTech said early program data show that 33% of the first 1,000 participants have three or more years of experience, underscoring challenges even for established professionals resuming careers after service.
Café Ba’Hazor is designed to create accessible, high-impact interactions between reservists and hiring leaders who understand the industry’s demands. The model aims to rebuild networks, restore career momentum, and convert conversations into interviews and opportunities across R&D, product, data, and operations.
‘The road back isn’t simple’
“The demands of miluim do not end when reservists return home. Careers pause, networks weaken, and the road back into the tech industry is not simple,” said Talia Lenga, Head of Strategy at MiluimTech. “Through Café Ba’Hazor, industry leaders gain firsthand insight into the lived experience of Israel’s miluim community, while reservists regain confidence, direction, and opportunities to grow their careers.”
Founded in 2024 by olim and former lone soldiers Shai Goel and Lena Lilti, MiluimTech previously organized a job fair focused on reservists with the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. The group says it now operates a national support network backed by dozens of high-tech companies and a rapidly expanding community of reservists seeking pathways back into the innovation economy.
Sign-up and registration details for Cafe Ba'Hazor can be found here.
Struggles of reservists in high-tech throughout war
In October 2024, a one-year assessment reported fundraising declines and staffing gaps across Israel’s hi-tech sector, with founders citing delayed product road maps and uneven impacts by subsector.
By January 2025, an Israel Innovation Authority snapshot showed resilience alongside strain: about 70% of firms projected growth, while roughly 80% expected to need fresh capital within six months as reserve duty and travel disruptions weighed on operations.
Also in January 2025, a labor-market review highlighted “record numbers of reservists” and fewer new job openings, reflecting a broader squeeze that complicates reservists’ return to work.