Not sure, but someone I know who did sherut le’umi (though it was a WHILE back) only needed to do it for a year (she- yes, she- actually CHOSE to do it for two years, but that’s another story).
Yserbius: THANK YOU. You put it much better than I did.
Anyone?
And just for the record, abra cadabra, sherut le’umi is in place of army. After, you CAN work.
ETA: Just looked it up. Sherut le’umi is 12-24 months. There are multiple forms, and, according to Wikpedia, offers work in “special education, administration, hospitals, law, geriatrics, nursing homes, health clinics, teens at risk, internal security, disadvantaged communities, immigrant assistance, and many other organizations.”