ByYONAH JEREMY BOB
Updated:

The IDF announced on Sunday that Hashmonaim Brigade commander Col. Avinoam Emunah has been promoted to become IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir’s top adviser on all haredi (ultra-Orthodox) issues.

In previous reports on the issue, the expectation was that Emunah would get the job and eventually be promoted to the rank of brigadier-general, similar to the rank of the IDF chief’s top adviser on women’s issues.

Part of the new position will involve some of the same responsibilities Emunah has had in founding the brigade, specially tailored to haredim, but his portfolio will likely be widened to also handle larger strategic questions.

Ultra orthodox jewish soldiers from the Hasmonean Brigade take part in a beret march after completing seven months of basic and advanced training, at the Western Wall in Jerusalem's Old city on August 6, 2025.
Ultra orthodox jewish soldiers from the Hasmonean Brigade take part in a beret march after completing seven months of basic and advanced training, at the Western Wall in Jerusalem's Old city on August 6, 2025. (credit: CHAIM GOLDBERG/FLASH90)

Future of haredi integration into IDF

Zamir must decide what to propose for the future of integrating haredim into the military and when to debate and contest government proposals versus when to keep a low profile and let the politics of the issue sort themselves out. In the past, Zamir had a lieutenant-colonel-level adviser on haredi issues, but Emunah’s high rank will give him more pull in implementing major changes and new projects, as well as likely receiving larger budgets.

Moreover, if the number of haredim serving in the IDF does in fact grow, a variety of new issues will inevitably arise simply because of the larger population involved.