Israel is the only western country with mandatory conscription for women. While women have traditionally served in different postings in the Israel Defense Forces, since 1994, the roles open to women have begun to change.
While after 1948, women were stationed in what is termed as “pink collar jobs,” they have gradually moved to more combat-oriented postings, for various reasons. At the same time, this shift has not been unidirectional, and fluctuations mirror social debates within Israeli society.
This talk will follow the debate surrounding women’s military service in Israel since the pre-state (yishuv) era until the 21st century, looking at both religious and operational considerations, as well as social considerations.
Dr. Elisheva Rosman-Stollman is a senior lecturer and Deputy Chair at the Department of Political Studies at Bar-Ilan University. Her research and publications focus on civil-military relations, particularly the relationship between the military and religious soldiers, and religious women in the military. She is a founding member of the Association for Civil-Military Studies in Israel and a member of the Board of Directors of the Association for Israel Studies (AIS).
Her recent research projects focus on religious feminism, civilian medicine and the military, and the evolving conscription model in Israel. She is also the Director of the Argov Center for the study of Israel and the Jewish People. Dr. Rosman has served on various advisory committees and working groups, including the President of Israel’s Fellowship prize (2018), the INSS and IDF Reserves Command joint working group (2017), and the IDF Human Resources Division working group for the IDF 2020 plan (2015).
In partnership with Bar-Ilan University.
