Even without finishing the degree: New relief for reservists
The Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee has approved Israel Bar Association rules allowing reservists to begin legal internships before completing all degree requirements. The relief applies to students who missed up to four courses and four exams due to reserve duty between September 1, 2025, and August 31, 2026.
The Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee approved the Israel Bar Association rules, which will allow reservists to begin a legal internship even if they have not yet completed up to four courses and up to four exams required for a bachelor's degree. The relief will apply to those expected to begin their internship between September 1 and December 31, 2026.
According to the rules, eligibility will be granted to students who were enrolled in the final academic year of a law degree and who were prevented from meeting faculty requirements due to actual reserve service of at least 59 days between September 1, 2025, and August 31, 2026. In addition, they must be required to complete no more than four courses and no more than four exams.
The approval was received after the committee expanded the relief on one hand and narrowed the eligibility conditions on the other. At the request of the committee chairman, MK Simcha Rothman, the determining period for significant reserve service was extended by a year, until August 31, 2026, while the required number of reserve days was reduced from 90 to 59.
Advocate Dana Blum from the Israel Bar Association said at the meeting:
"This time we narrowed it down to a group that there is a wall-to-wall consensus that it is necessary to help - the reservists who served significant service. The provision is broader in terms of relief but narrower in terms of population. This is in addition to 4 full courses for the first time, so it is about 8 grades instead of 2. Therefore, we want to keep this for special cases. We will agree to the committee's request to reduce it to 59 reserve days."
Constitution, Law and Justice Committee Chairman, MK Simcha Rothman, explained that the timing of reserve service has special importance:
"Someone whose reserve service period falls during exams, even if it is 60 days, all exam dates are over a two-month period and it ruins their period."
According to him, "If a person served 30 days during the exam period, it is a significant thing. We must make an adjustment of the schedules." MK Tally Gotliv said that the reservists are asking to lower the eligibility threshold, and added: "Even when a person goes out for 50 days of reserve duty it is a crazy thing, a long period."
