26% of Reserve Servicemen Divorce After the First Period of Service, Same Percentage as the National Average
A National Insurance study on the distribution of marital status of female and male reserve servicemen found that the rate of separations and divorces remained stable, and did not exceed the general rate in Israeli society (contrary to the widespread general claim that the divorce rate is high among reservists).
As part of the National Insurance Institute's commitment to the well-being of reserve service members and their families through reserve benefits payment and financial assistance even to the divorced and separated partner of reserve service members, and in order to continuously and professionally examine the implications of extended periods of service, the National Insurance Institute is today publishing data on marital status in the reserve service during the war:
Marital status distribution among reservists:
General distribution: 44% of reserve service members are either married or in a common-law relationship,
53% are single,
0.5% are widowed,
and 3% are divorced or separated.
Rate of separations following reserve service:
Of the reserve service members currently defined as divorced or separated (who, as stated, constitute 3% of the total service), approximately 26% divorced or separated after their first period of service.
Compared to the general average: This divorce rate (26%) is similar to the general national average for the Israeli population, which stands at about 28% divorce on average.
Zvika Cohen, Deputy Director General of the National Insurance Institute: "The families of reserve service members are the pillar of the national resilience of the State of Israel at this time. Although the data shows that the percentage of divorces among reservists is the same as the national average, it is important to pay attention to the clear challenges and great complexity that prolonged service poses to the family unit. The National Insurance Institute will continue to stand by the soldiers and their families, to provide the necessary social envelope and calls on the relevant parties to pay attention to the specific complex issues faced by our reserve service members."