Impact of the idf academic reserve track on the modern higher education among druze

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Impact of the idf academic reserve track on the modern higher education among druze

Lotffy Harb

Graduate student of Ariel University

Supervisor - Professor Nitza Davidovich

Annotation

In the current article reviews the academic reserve track and its place among young Druze in Israel. Based on the literature review, a research model is proposed, presenting the factors influencing the integration of young Druze into the IDF academic reserve track and those influencing the acquisition of a higher education by Druze youth. This model may constitute a strong foundation for further education research on this subject.

Keywords: higher education, theoretical model, Druze society, IDF, Jewish government, academic reserve track.

Introduction. The issue of higher education has a high place on the global agenda [6]. In modern countries, higher education makes it possible to improve one's social and economic status, and to find employment. Therefore, governments have decided to invest in education on all levels in order to reduce social gaps and inequality [1].

The service of Druze in the IDF has already influenced the construct of their educational system, particularly in their high schools [8]. This article reviews the IDF academic reserve track, with a view to recognizing the significance of acquiring higher education by young Druze in Israel. The basic premise is that the Druze have a special place in the political, religious, and cultural spheres of the Middle East in general and of Israel in particular. Historically, the Druze formed a special alliance with the Jewish settlement in pre-state Palestine. The Druze are distinct from the Jewish majority in Israel by virtue of their faith, culture, and lifestyle, but at the same time they constitute a unique population group among the tapestry of various ethnic and religious groups serving in the IDF.

In recent years there has been a significant debate on gender-based differences within the Druze community in the context of the accessibility of higher education, as a result of the disparity between men and women. Among the Druze, the proportion of men who continue to higher education is significantly lower than the proportion of women, even more so than in other population groups. According to Council for Higher Education (CHE) data, the proportion of men studying at institutions of higher education is 35 percent, versus a higher proportion of women, at 65 percent.

Due to the conservative mentality of the Druze, this considerable gap in the acquisition of higher education between men and women might lead to identity problems, as well as to social problems such as a rise in divorce rates. Enhancing higher education in general and among men in particular has become a major task in order to facilitate equilibrium, reduce gaps, and maintain stability within the Druze community. Therefore, in this literature review we will focus on the issue of the academic reserve track within the setting of military service and propose a model for future research on processes that will occur and that will contribute and lead to encouraging higher education among young Druze men [3; 12].

The contribution of our review is in presenting an updated portrait of the academic reserve track in general and of its place among the Druze. This portrait will make it possible, as stated, to establish a model that can constitute a foundation for building programs for better integration in higher education of minorities serving in the IDF.

The main material of the study. Among minority groups in a modern country, attending a university and acquiring a higher education constitute an important means for improving one's social status and acquiring a prestigious profession [4]. Indeed, in recent years the Druze have been displaying a considerable wish and desire to acquire a higher education as part of their optimal integration into Israeli society.

However, this increase has not materialized, and instead we are witnessing processes that have serious implications for Druze society. Although in practice the Druze society's resistance to modernity has kept Druze women in an inferior position, incidentally in contrast to the religious injunction in favor of equality, in the field of higher education women have a significant lead in terms of numbers.

In light of the above, boosting higher education in general and among men in particular has become an essential task, in order to facilitate equilibrium, reduce gaps, and realize a most basic right for any person in the democratic and developing State of Israel, including, indeed, the Druze serving their compulsory service in the IDF.

The Druze have a special place in the political, religious, and cultural reality of the Middle East in general and of Israel in particular. Avivi claims that the policy with regard to the Druze was formed in light of David Ben Gurion's views, and gradually came to encourage a preference for the Druze over other minorities. The Druze formed a special alliance with the Jewish settlement in Israel. The Druze are distinct from the Jewish majority in Israel by virtue of their faith, culture, and lifestyle, but at the same time they constitute a unique population group in the intricate tapestry of ethnic and religious groups serving in the IDF [9] .The Druze see themselves as an inseparable part of Israel.

In 1962 Druze identity in Israel became more official with the decision to note the word “Druze” on the identity card of every member of that group [10]. Another process related to Druze identity emerged with the establishment of a Druze educational system distinct from the Arab system, in 1976. According to Halabi, the dominant part of Druze identity is their religion [7]. while belonging to the State of Israel has the effect of accentuating their Israeli identity [2]. So, The Druze are trying to become integrated into all areas of Israeli life; indeed, some contend that in recent years the time has come for a transition from extrinsic to intrinsic integration.

The most significant transition from extrinsic to intrinsic integration began in July 2015 after the decision was made to close the Herev Battalion. The Druze began to achieve full integration into all IDF units with the August 2015 draft. The decision to close the Herev Battalion was a profound turning point, and posed many challenges for decision makers, who aimed to facilitate optimal integration of the Druze into all IDF units [9].

Today, in 2019, about three years after Regiment 299 was closed, it is clear that the Druze are becoming well integrated into all IDF units as combat and combat support soldiers, and they serve in all branches of the army. Optimal integration is also evident in the senior roles occupied in the IDF: there are now a Druze major general, three officers with the rank of brigadier general, and dozens of Druze officers in senior positions.

In addition to this integration, a significant rise is evident in the number of Druze soldiers accepted by the academic reserve tracks. In this framework, Druze soldiers are becoming integrated into institutions of higher education, serving as officers in the professions they studied, and acquiring future professions that enable them to become optimally integrated as civilians and in government agencies. The authors of the current review are of the opinion that this track is most significant for young Druze, as it facilitates reduction of gaps in higher education, and prepares them for transitioning from alliances of blood to alliances of life. More than anything, this course points to the issue at the center of our review: forming alliances consisting of academic studies that ensure the long-term integration of young Druze men into higher education.

Today, in democratic and Jewish Israel that believes in granting basic rights to all people, providing access to higher education constitutes a major challenge in terms of creating strong foundations for the State of Israel and all its citizens. Those who acquire a higher education have an opportunity to become equally socially integrated, which enables them to obtain prestigious jobs and eventually to improve their socioeconomic status [14]. Recently, there has been a rise in the proportion of those eligible for a matriculation certificate in Druze villages, reaching up to 100 percent eligibility in schools such as the Bei Jan high school and the Darka School of Science and Leadership. Assumedly, this rise should have resulted in an increase in the rate of Druze academic students [13]. However, this increase has not materialized, and instead we are witnessing processes that have serious implications for Druze society. In light of the above, boosting higher education in general and among men in particular has become an essential task, in order to facilitate equilibrium, reduce gaps, and realize a most basic right for any person in the democratic and developing State of Israel, including and for the Druze serving their compulsory service in the IDF.

The IDF is one of the most developed armies in the world; it endeavors to integrate innovative technology in addition to maintaining the high standards of its personnel. Maintaining these programs makes it possible to preserve high quality personnel in the IDF, while also strengthening the technological and developing systems by using suitable professionals.

Studies before enlistment in the IDF: After students graduate from high school and before enlistment in the IDF, it is possible to ask for a postponement of the draft and to continue one's studies, including acquiring an academic education.

Studies during one's service: In the IDF it is very important to nurture human capital; therefore, the army enables officers to acquire a higher education in between serving in their various roles. The army even provides compensation and covers tuition in these tracks.

Studies for discharged soldiers: In recent years the transition of soldiers from military service to civil life is an issue on the agenda of the IDF. Discussions held have pointed to the need to boost discharged soldiers in two major spheres. The first is a profession, i.e., enabling acquisition of a profession that will let one find a job immediately after discharge.

The second sphere is scholarships, programs, and tracks that encourage the acquisition of a higher education, such as the uniform-to-studies track. On this track, every soldier who was on combat duty receives 78 funding that covers most of his or her tuition for three years, making it possible to acquire a higher education without having to worry about paying tuition.

Information on the programs and benefits provided to discharged soldiers that enable them to acquire a higher education is provided by the Division and Fund for Discharged Soldiers. This organ belongs to the Ministry of Defense, and regularly guides discharged soldiers for the first five years after their discharge from the IDF.

As part of the academic reserve, after graduating from high school candidates for the defense service who meet the admission criteria for the reserve receive a postponement of their service, acquire an academic education, and return to serve in the IDF in a variety of roles according to their academic degrees. The progression of locating and screening candidates for the academic reserve begins in the 12th grade, and ends with processing by an admissions committee that occurs around the beginning of the academic school year. After 5 stages of this selection, candidates may receive approval to study at the university or college of their choice. This approval is predicated on receiving approval from the IDF reserve section, which sets quotas for the different subjects according to the army's needs. Hence, in October, just before the academic school year begins, the process of screening for the academic reserve, which has taken about a year, is concluded; candidates are then either rejected from the program, or approved to begin their academic studies and join the IDF academic reserve track [11].

One of the conspicuous features of Druze soldiers is avoidance of higher education - and heading instead for jobs in security, in the defense organs, in odd jobs, or in continued permanent service in the IDF. This only serves to emphasize the fact that for them the reserve track is very effective and beneficial for them as well as for the IDF; the Druze acquire a higher education and the IDF receives the services of engineers, doctors, and academics in various fields.Our examination of the data shows a significant rise in the number of Druze who are joining the academic reserve tracks. Notably, the Druze and Circassian section of the Populations Administration, within the Personnel Division, has invested a great deal of effort in making information more accessible and in personal support of the candidates. Several conferences have been held, for both students and parents, contributing considerably to the rise in number of opportunities for Druze. Compared to non-Druze young people in Israel who study after their discharge from the IDF, it is evident that the number of those studying after their discharge from the IDF is significantly lower.

It is also evident that the reserve track is suitable for the mentality of the Druze, who are accustomed to marrying and building homes at a young age - as decreed by their tradition and traditional life. Young Druze who continue their studies at university immediately after graduating from high school will have a higher education by age 22. If they decide to marry early or to build homes, this would not disrupt their studies or their employment prospects in a proper professional field.

Conclusions. This review highlighted the place of higher education among the Druze as a promoting factor within Israel's general society, both in response to a lifestyle in which marriage and building a home and family begin at a young age, and as an issue related to gender differences among the Druze - with its intricate implications. The comparison between the different study tracks shows that the academic reserve has many significant advantages over the other alternatives, particularly in the Druze case explored here.

At the same time, the review certainly demands further research to fully and empirically examine the impact of the IDF academic reserve track on the Druze, and no less - the impact of the Druze, after acquiring an education, on Israeli society as a whole and on the academic institutions per se, and of course on the military systems, including Manta (Academic Technological Personnel Administration). Such research might contribute significantly to placing the subject on the agenda of decision makers and creating adjusted tracks for the Druze at the stage of entering the academic reserve. Further research might also lead to increasing access to higher education - beginning at the stage of high school studies and continuing through military service and beyond - and to building programs to prepare students for employment. Thus, the Druze will more readily become integrated into the labor market and Israeli society.

References

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