Female combat soldiers in the Karkal Brigade. Photo by Yoni Markovitski, IDF Spokesperson

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Today, a group of ten female combat soldiers have just completed a rigorous strength and leadership exercise in the IDF.  The idea was to increase the combat skills of each of the women, and to refine their skills as female leaders, both in the army and in the civilian world.  At the end of the training exercise, a few of the women were chosen to be representatives for the Women’s International Zionist Organization (WIZO), who helped facilitate this event.

The slogan, “young women need to know how to fight both on the battlefield and in civilian life” was put to life at the strength and leadership training exercise designed for female combat soldiers of the IDF.  The exercise took place in the village of Nahalat Yehuda in Rishon Lezion and lasted for 5 days, finishing today.

One of the major goals of the training exercise was to strengthen the combat skills of the women in order to prepare them for three years as combat soldiers in the IDF, but the goals were not limited to combat skills.  “We want to give these women skills for the army, and skills for life.” explains the chairperson of WIZO Israel. “We believe that it is important for the women of the IDF to contribute as much as possible to the IDF, but to also benefit from their army service as courageous combat soldiers outside of the army and after the army.  We want the women of the IDF to acquire leadership skills that last a lifetime, and I believe that the IDF and the WIZO are capable of helping these incredible women do just that.”

The women involved underwent various exercises and lessons over the course of five days, all of which combined skills related to physical strength, problem solving, and effective leadership skills.  “The idea was to take the potential of these women and to increase it even further.  It takes a strong woman to be a combat soldier, and we want to maximize the combat skills and the life skills offered to these women.  I think that this exercise in strength and training helped accomplish just that,” says Major Oshrat Bahar, the Head of the Department of the Integration of Women.