Reservists’ families are paying a heavy price after hundreds of days of service, according to new data released Sunday by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS). Nearly half of married partners of reservists reported that their relationships had been negatively affected, and about one-third (34%) admitted the strain led them to consider separation or divorce.
CBS found that the longer the service, the greater the toll on marriages. Among wives of reservists who served up to 50 days, 36% reported harm to their relationship. That figure rose to 45% among those whose husbands served 50–100 days and 57% among those whose husbands served more than 200 days.
Thoughts of separation were reported consistently — between 32% and 35% of women who said their marriages were affected — regardless of the length of service.
Family size also played a role. Among wives with two children, 54% reported harm to their marriage and 38% admitted thinking about separation. In larger families, the rates of reported strain were lower — down to 33% and 26%, respectively, in families with eight or more children. Among couples without children under 21, 43% of wives reported marital strain, and about a quarter considered separation.
Impact on children
The toll extended beyond marriages. More than half (52%) of wives said their children under 21 had suffered emotionally due to reserve duty. Among families with three to five children, the share rose to 60–62%. In families with seven or more children, the rate dropped to around 45%.
The data also showed variation by service branch and duration. Among wives of reservists in the ground forces, 56% reported a decline in their children’s mental well-being, compared to 43–45% in other branches. Families of reservists serving longer stretches were more likely to report problems — 35% when service was up to 50 days, compared to 63% when service reached 200–250 days.
Need for support
Overall, 61% of reservists’ wives said they required some form of assistance due to reserve duty. Of them, 55% needed emotional or mental health support, and 38% required financial aid. Divorced spouses reported the greatest needs: 68% sought financial help, 74% assistance with childcare and 51% psychological support. Among childless married women, 75% reported needing mental or emotional support. For mothers, 82% needed help caring for their children.
About 35% of spouses sought professional mental health services for themselves or their children. Nearly a quarter (23%) turned to private providers for themselves and 20% for their children. Smaller shares approached Israel’s health funds — 6% for themselves and 8% for their children. Most women who received treatment said it was helpful: 79% of those who used private services and over half of those who turned to public authorities.
The CBS report also noted that three-quarters of spouses relied on family or friends for assistance, with higher rates among religious families (83%) compared to secular (74%) and ultra-Orthodox households (64%).
Financial compensation
The survey examined National Insurance Institute (Bituach Leumi) payments as well. About 68% of reservists’ families received full payments, while 19% received partial support. Nearly 90% of married or common-law spouses reported receiving payments in full or in part. However, 65% of divorced women with children and 33% of single mothers said they had not received what they were owed.