First month of the job

When we finished the second training course, our commanders sent us to our new bases - I got put at Tze’elim, a huge training base in the south of Israel. I was welcomed very warmly and started the absorption into the job (finally!!). After two weeks of learning the ropes of the job, I started to teach on my own.

My first experience as an instructor was at an Imun (training) in the North of Israel with reserve soldiers in combat engineering who used to be officers. The day starts at 6:30 am where we go down to the field and start giving the lessons. I gave 30 minute lessons to groups of soldiers to introduce them to (or remind them) about the weapon… Some background information, how to use it, what to do if it doesn’t work, etc. After all of the lessons, we go down to the shooting range and I coach them while they shoot. Overall, it was an incredible experience and all of the soldiers were very very sweet. They were all in awe that I’m American and in the IDF. There were guys who were 23 and just came back from their year long trip abroad and some old enough to be my dad! At night, we sat and listened to their stories and had coffee and tea. What made my day was what the officers did for me when they found out I had celiac and can therefore not eat any of the food that was provided. The second they found out I have celiac, finding me food was the number one priority on their list. After the training was over, they arranged an army car to take me to this amazing Yishuv nearby where there was one restaurant run by one woman! It was so homey, and we met so many amazing people from the neighborhood. It was one of the most delicious meals I have ever had… They wouldn’t even let me pay for it myself.

That Thursday, the army and FIDF (Friends of the IDF) organized a day at a waterpark for all lone soldiers!! Some would call it the best day ever. In all seriousness though, it was a really, really great day. I saw every lone soldier I’ve met - whether it be my friends from Garin Tzabar or the army. They had a BBQ, DJ, huge water slides, and a wave pool. It was so great to meet so many other lone soldiers and just have a great time. It definitely didn’t feel like the army!

Last week, I went with some other instructors to Baad 1 - the IDF officers training school- to test the soldiers who are almost done with their course to become combat officers. During their training and specifically that week, they don’t sleep and barely eat and basically train every hour of the day. There were a bunch of instructors there testing each soldier - one on one - on a specific weapon… How to use it, some background info etc. Everywhere you turned, you saw a sleeping soldier leaned up against a wall - standing up. The soldiers were so sweet and knew the information really well. I tried my best to be as sweet and helpful as possible because I can’t even imagine how exhausted they must’ve been once they met the test I was giving. Many of them were in the war Tzuk Eitan two summers ago and even used the weapon I was teaching during the war. They told me stories about using it and about the war itself. I ended up learning so much more than I could’ve taught them.

The holidays (Rosh Hashana, Yom KIppur, Sukkot) are starting, so I am getting two weeks off to see my family when they’re in Israel. I haven’t been with everyone together in 6 months, so needless to say it’s amazing to finally be with them!!

Two Months of the Weapons Course

The Sunday after the Tekes, I started the new course which would be 2 months long. Each week, we covered another weapon that we would eventually be teaching to the soldiers. I honestly did not even know how to say trigger in hebrew, so to say the course was challenging at the beginning is a huge understatement! However, the other girls in the course as well as the commanders were extremely helpful and studied with me for countless hours until I understood every word. I am so thankful to everyone that didn’t lose their patience with me, and when I thanked my friends for helping me a thousand times, they kept saying I was crazy for thanking them and that if they had to do all of this in English, they would run away!

We woke up at 6:30 every day, cleaned, and went to the rising of the Israeli flag. Then classes started. We would be in class from 8 until lunch, then from the end of lunch to dinner, from the end of dinner to 11:45 at night. The material itself (once I started to understand) is so so interesting. We learned about hand grenades, guns that shoot hand grenades, two different types of rockets/ missiles you shoot from the shoulder that blow up houses and armoured vehicles, a weapon that blows open any type of door. Really amazing weapons that have been used in Israel’s wars and will continue to be used to defend our country. Each week, we took multiple tests on the weapon we were learning about - we learned the basic level of the weapon - what the soldier learns- and then the advanced or “instructor” level that we as instructors have to know. Each girl was then assigned two classes to organize and give over to us and the commanders. The commanders would act as annoying or problematic soldiers to see how we would deal with them and to show us that sometimes, we won’t get the easiest group of guys to teach. At the end of each week, the commander would sit with each of us one by one and tell us strong points and weak points about our lesson. After relaying a dozen lessons on material I am going to be teaching, I felt a lot more confident and comfortable with the hebrew and standing in front of the class teaching.

We also have to know how to shoot the weapons themselves - so once a week we went down to the field, built our targets and learned how to shoot the weapons. Before I came to the army, I wouldn’t have classified myself as the outdoorsy type, but after spending days on days in the field, I have come to really love and appreciate being out there. We also learned how to coach someone in the field while they are shooting because that is half of our job as instructors.

One Sunday, we went to the headquarters in Chaifa of Rafael - an Israeli company that makes a ton of weapons and sells them to the army - including the Iron Dome!! They invented two of the weapons we teach, so we went there and met with the inventors themselves, and they gave us a few hour class. It was so amazing to be in a place with the brains behind such incredible forms of defense - especially that they were all so normal and classic Israelis. Really made me proud to be a part of this country. On the way to Chaifa, the bus stopped at a bus stop, and there was a mom trying to get on the bus with her stroller and baby. Without hesitation, a soldier sitting in front of me got up and ran off the bus to help the mom fold the stroller to put underneath the bus. Instead of letting the soldier help with the stroller, the mom immediately gave the soldier her baby while she proceeded to fold the stroller, put it away, and get on the bus with the soldier and baby following behind her. Only in Israel do you see someone trust a stranger enough to hand him her baby… Only in Israel do you see a 20 something year old guy run off the bus to help a mother and child like that !

We also spent one day of the course volunteering at a school for special needs’ students. We set up stations that each group of students passed through - I ran the painting station with my friend Rebecca, another lone soldier from Australia. We sat them down around a table, handed out paints and paper and told them to paint whatever they want. Before we started, Rebecca and I explained that we came from the army to be with them for the day, etc. and that we are something called lone soldiers, meaning our families live outside of Israel. I didn’t expect them to understand or care when we said that, but I was completely wrong. They all showed, in their own special way, complete respect and awe for what we were doing and shared their own dreams of joining the army. They absolutely loved that we weren’t from Israel and were still in the army, and I hope it inspired them to join as well. Mentally disabled people in Israel get an exception from the army, but many join nonetheless. It was truly an inspiring day to be around people who despite their circumstances are so happy… and even more so, to have had the chance to serve as an example for them in uniform was a privilege!

After two long (and seemingly endless) months, we finished the course. I am very lucky to say that during the weekends, I always had someone in Israel visiting me… My brother and sister and parents came at different times throughout the two months, so I always had something to look forward to during the long weeks.

 My garin also had our shabbat garin - a shabbat every four months that everyone in the garin comes home for the weekend. I wasn't able to join everyone Thursday night because we were taking tests, but thankfully I was able to go for Friday & Shabbat. On friday we went to a spring in Jerusalem & on Shabbat, we all spent such quality time together. Seeing all of my garin was truly amazing. Garin Tzabar truly becomes your family in Israel because they are the only ones who truly understand what you're going through as a lone soldier. I love my garin so much & am so lucky to be apart of such an incredible group. 

Shabbat Garin

On the last night of the course, our commanders woke us up in the middle of the night and sent us on a “mission” around the base until we ended up in our shooting field. They were there with the green ropes (sroch) to give out to us which shows that we are infantry instructors. My officer presented me with it and told me how proud she was of me for never giving up and always succeeding during the course although it was very hard for me. Leaving the field with the 8 other girls in my course who have truly become my best friends - all wearing the sroch was truly surreal and something I’ll never forget.

Tekes (Ending Ceremony)

I’ve been picturing and dreaming about my Tekes (graduation/ ending ceremony) in the army for as long as I can remember. It’s when the soldiers look their best, stand in perfectly straight lines, and sing Hatikva with the upmost pride for what they’re doing.

At the end of the first course, the commanders tell each girl which job she is going to specialize in… Basically her fate for the next almost two years! For some of the girls, it was legitimately a matter of life and death, it seemed. Thankfully, I have a pretty open mind when it comes to the army (something you learn you need very quickly), but I was still very happy when I found out what job I got because it was what intrigued me the most! You walk into a room where the head officers and commanders are sitting; they tell you your overall score for the course and the likelihood of becoming an officer (based on a bunch of numbers and test scores, not so sure), and they then tell you your shibbutz (placement). I got Madrichat Namach - Neshek Machlakti. In simple words, there are five different weapons I will be teaching - from a hand grenade launcher to missiles that explode entire walls and rooms. I will just say that there were many, many tears during this whole process from all of the girls - whether of happiness or anger. I felt like it was during American Idol when the contestants come out of the audition room with the yellow Hollywood ticket, or of course, with nothing. After that, all of the family and friends came for picnics and some talks/ videos by the commanders explaining what we’ve gone through the past two months. Then there was the actual ceremony part. We walked in perfect formation, barretts on our heads and guns at hand. We heard speeches from the head of our unit in the army and the head officer of our course who remarked how important our job in the army is - that because of infantry instructors, the soldiers know how to defend themselves, and in turn the nation. She spoke about what a big role the instructors played during last year’s war - working all hours of the day to teach as many soldiers as possible so they can go into Gaza. It was an empowering feeling to be standing in the ceremony knowing that despite the hardships of this journey, I am here for such a direct and important reason. Our commanders and officers then went around to each girl and gave us a Rabat which are the two stripes on both arms of our uniforms which show that we are now “ranked” in the army. They played hebrew songs that I’ve been hearing since I was a kid in my dad’s car on the way to school - so it was a very emotional experience!

Sadly, my parents and siblings couldn’t make it, but my aunt from Chicago who also served in the army and boyfriend were able to be there as well as my host families! It was so, so nice to have my Aunt Binnie and boyfriend there to support me because they understand how long I’ve been dreaming of being in the army for, and to have people who have known me for a shorter amount of time but who have really adopted me as their own meant so much. I spent that weekend in Tel Aviv and that Sunday, I returned to base to start my new course.

My Commander - Dana 

Week 7- Week 9 (End of First Course)

The last time I updated my blog I was in the middle of my first course. Now, I am an instructor and will explain what has happened until the end of the first one!

The second half of instructor’s course was anything but simple. As I said in an earlier post, during week 7 I was in charge of making sure the girls got everywhere on time and of telling the commanders who’s not there, where they are and why. Every time we had to be anywhere, we had to stand in a “chet” formation, wait for the commander, and I had to “accept” them with a certain phrase in Hebrew. I was very nervous- even for that - because I had such a hard time remembering what the words were! In addition to that, I chose the value of determination and will and had to give three classes pertaining to that topic. I spoke about the importance of persevering no matter the circumstances - explaining how hard it was for me to get to the army and that it’s still hard now, but with the will to succeed you can and will! I also spoke about how Israel is still around today as the great country it is because of our will to survive no matter what. After the class I got good feedback from the girls and commanders so I was happy! Other than that, as per usual, each girl got assigned a weapon, learned about it, and had to give a class on it. At the end of the week, we had a test on all of the weapons we learned about. Needless to say, there was barely any down time - actually no down time at all. But at the end of the day, I learned a lot about myself and did things I would’ve never imagined I could do.

Week 8 was the last full week of the course, so of course everyone was very excited - however we still had to keep the distance with the commanders and act as though we were in the first week of basic training! The finish line seemed so close yet so far. It was also my birthday that week! It was a bit of an interesting schedule...the first half of the week, we were tested on level “C” of the course. We were given a weapon/ armored vehicle to teach and then tested at the end on all of the weapons. The only difference between these classes and the ones we gave in the previous weeks is that all of the commanders interrupt the class more than a hundred times posing as different types of soldiers to see how we deal with them. There could be someone who doesn’t stop playing music on his phone or interrupting the instructor or someone in reserves who keeps talking about how he knows everything and wants to go home already. Barely anyone got through their entire lesson, and no one got through their lesson without laughing a lot. It was so funny sitting in those classes. We then went to a base in the North of Israel to help out there...To be honest, not exactly sure what the point of us being there was. It was my birthday though! My class surprised me by singing happy birthday when I walked into my room with signs and such a thoughtful gift. All I can say is that my first birthday in the army was a lot different than my birthday last year when I went to Disney World…! We stayed on the base that Shabbat - our last one in the course- it was nice! The last few days of the course were very fun. It was a lot of wrapping up loose ends, and we broke distance with the commanders on the last night! For the whole 2 months, we had distance with them.. Had to call them by their title (ex “commander), they don’t smile at you - everything is very very formal. Braking distance was by far the weirdest experience ever. All of the commanders suddenly become your best friends, and the strict, stressful atmosphere turns into one of complete normalcy.

Week 5- Shavuah Shetach (Field Week)

Week 5 started off on a rough note because I caught a stomach virus right before we were supposed to go down to the field. During that week, we sleep in tents in the middle of the desert, learn all about combat tactics, eat from cans etc. At the end of the week, there's a Masa for the tag of the base (the tag everyone wears on the shoulder of the uniform). However, because of my virus, the medic wouldn't let me go with everyone & sent me home for the week. I went back to the kibbutz & went to straight to sleep for about a week! Everyone there took such great care of me- making sure I had chicken soup at all times & got to my doctor appointments. It was hard feeling so sick far away from my own bed & mom, but my family & friends in Israel took such great care of me.

At the end of the week, I started feeling better & went to Jerusalem for Shavuot. It was quite the experience being there for such a great holiday - my cousin and uncle who was just on birthright joined my sister & me which was great. We were invited out for all of the meals & when we weren't eating, I spent my time relaxing & sleeping. It wasn't the week I expected, but then again it's all apart of the experience! I'm very thankful to all my friends & family - near and far- who have been there for me every step of this journey!

I am now on the bus from Jerusalem to Beer Sheva with 99% (exhausted) soldiers who, I'm sure, feel the same as me about going back to the base this morning! It'll be a great week I'm sure. 

Week 4- Instructor's Course

Week 4 was by far the busiest week thus far! Not gonna lie, the feeling of waking up before the sun on Sunday morning to return to the base is not the best!

Once we got to the base, had lunch, and changed into the uniforms we wear on the base, we got straight to business (of course). Each soldier had to give a 10 minute class on anything she would like. I was nervous, obviously, because it was my first time giving a class in hebrew. I spoke about what it means to live a healthy lifestyle and the steps one should take to achieve that. It was fun and I got very good feedback from my commander and friends. I also had to take a test which covered everything that we learned the week before - on the basics of how to be an instructor. Thankfully, I got help reviewing the material and passed the test. I had trouble understanding some of the test, so my commander sat with me and translated (from hebrew to hebrew, of course).

The point of week 4 - level “a” of the course- is for every girl to give a 30 minute lesson on the topic that is given to her. At the end of the week, we had a test on all 12 topics - they ranged from different types of guns to night vision goggles the soldiers use in combat. I gave a class on who navigates/ how to navigate any sort of armored vehicle which was actually very interesting, and I had a great time teaching it to the girls. I got great feedback from my commander afterwards about my lesson, and it was an accomplishing feeling to know that despite the language barrier, I somehow pulled through.

We also had another Masa this week - as I explained in an earlier post, a masa is a “hike” or march during the night with the entire unit - everyone wearing their vests and guns. At the end of every masa lead by a different commander, we receive something that marks our progress. This masa was lead by one of our commanders and at the end of it, he gave each one of us the pin (sika) to put on our kumta (barret). Because we teach combat, we get the combat pin. He called up every girl individually and said a few words to express how he feels about them as soldiers etc. He told me he was very proud of me for making Aliyah and being here, and he sees that despite everything, I always give it my all and that he thinks I am a great soldier. As I walked back to my spot in our “chet” formation, I couldn't help but shed a few tears. The feeling of finally becoming a real soldier and gaining recognition from the commanders is hard to describe!

We closed for Shabbat, and for me, closing is very hard because I keep Shabbat and Friday night- Saturday is the only time the army lets us use our phones. It’s hard to see everyone on their phones speaking to their family when all I want to do is see or speak to mine! I was definitely homesick those two days because I had a lot of down time to think about where I am and how far away I am from my family. My friends saw that I was upset and they were all there for me - telling me how their home is my home and how they are here for me whenever and about whatever. I have found some special and incredible friends thus far! It ended up being a nice Shabbat because Friday night, as always, I went to Shul with some friends. It was a packed weekend on base so Shul as well as the dining hall was full of singing soldiers - it was quite a scene.

At the end of every week, each class of 12 girls + their commander of a conversation about the pros and cons of the previous week. It took me a while to think of something to say this time, but when it came my turn I turned to my commander and class and said - “If you would’ve told the Hannah who live in Florida 2 months ago that I would be running 3 km at 6 am, doing guard duty at 4 am, carrying a stretcher on my back in the middle of the night in the desert, give a class on navigation in hebrew - I would’ve laughed in your face. But somehow I did it and survived!” The entire class loved that. But in all seriousness, it’s true. Despite the day to day hardships in the army, the stress of being timed from everything - study time to shower time - at the end of the day, we’re all fine and are proud of ourselves for getting through the week.

Week 3 - End of Basic Training and Beginning of Course

Week three was an eventful week because we went to

Jerusalem and finished Basic Training.

Going to Jerusalem in uniform, with a gun and my unit was an experience I don’t think I will ever forget. We visited Yad Vashem, Har Herzl, and the Kotel.

Every time I go to Yad Vashem, I get something different out of my visit, but this time was especially impactful for obvious reasons. At Har Herzl, I visited the graves of Michael Levine and Max Steinberg - two lone soldiers who lost their lives in battle. Seeing the overwhelming number of rocks put on the graves as well as pictures and army tags made me realize again how much all Israelis are truly here as our family. The Kotel was of course meaningful, especially because so many tour groups came up to us and asked to take pictures while continuously thanking us for our service. I remember being those tour groups, completely enamored by the soldiers!

That night when we came back from Jerusalem, we had something called a Masa - a hike in the middle of the night when we wear all of our gear and work towards a specific goal. It was a tough journey, but at the top of the mountain, each of our commanders replaced our yellow tags (representing basic training) to green and white tags (representing our course). We then had our Hashabaah (swearing in ceremony) right then and there. When I was called up to receive my gun and Tanach from my officer, I truly didn’t believe that all of this was real. That I was really swearing into the IDF. I kept looking around at the Israeli flags, the lights of our base at the bottom of the mountain, and all of the girls I am with, as tears welled in my eyes.

I also have to present a 10 minute class next week and take a test covering everything we learned last week.

I got off early this weekend (on Thursday) because as a lone soldier, I get one day a month to organize all of my bank stuff, errands, etc. I am spending Shabbat with Lilly and David at my Kibbutz and look forward to seeing my Garin Tzabar family.

Week 2- Basic Training

Week two started with getting up before the sun on Sunday morning and traveling on many different trains back to the base. I have never experienced such chaos in my life than when I had to literally climb my way onto the train… What I mean is that there were hundreds and hundreds of soldiers sitting and standing in every empty space possible. I looked to my left and saw two soldiers with tefillin and praying - in no other country does that happen. On early morning trains in America, you’ll find middle aged workers drinking black coffee and reading the newspaper. Not here. Here, it’s a bunch of exhausted teenagers with guns, some praying, some sleeping, and some squashed against a window.

We got our guns this week and learned hours and hours about the responsibility it is to have a gun and how the gun itself works. We also spent 15 hours in the field doing all types of shooting drills. Although it was completely exhausting and not so enjoyable at points, it was a bonding experience for the girls in my unit. That night when I came back to the base, I felt emphatically exhausted but at the same time proud of myself for conquering that day.

That Shabbat we stayed on the base, and I went to Friday night services with some girls in my unit as well as a “festive” Friday night dinner. At dinner, it hit me that although I am in a tough and intense army, the officers who yell at us made Kiddush and blessed the Challah on Friday night.

This week was a hard week for me emotionally and physically - we had a lot of runs, hours in the classroom, and tests - however I learned a lot about myself in the sense that although in the moment things feel impossible, here I am, a week later, and perfectly fine!

Week 1 - Basic Training (April 19- 25)

To say that my first week in the 

Army was a shock would definitely be an understatement.

Let’s start with day one. My family, friends, and Garin Tzabar family took me on Sunday (April 19) to my Giyus-- the draft where I basically take some pictures, cry a little, say bye to everyone, and load the bus to a building nearby where I get officially registered as a soldier. My dad was in Israel so having him, along with Lilly, my sister who is here for the year, and my boyfriend David made it a much more emotional yet meaningful goodbye. At the Bakum (where they took us after we said bye), there were tons of confused and anxious 18 year old girls going through different stations… Interview with an officer, some shots and blood tests, getting your army ID and dog tags, putting on the uniform etc. We ended up being there for a whole of 12 hours because they were having trouble with the computer system… So a majority of the day consisted of being yelled at, having a 5 minute interview, and waiting for the next station to open. Finally, after hours of meeting new girls and trying to get over the fact that I was wearing an IDF uniform, we boarded the bus to the Negev Desert to my base - Bislach. There, we had to get absorbed and didn’t go to bed until 2 am. I called my mom during our one hour of free time a night and burst into tears because of how exhausted and truly overwhelmed I was. Luckily, there are a handful of other lone soldiers in my unit, so we all were confused and sought translation together.

During the next few days of basic training, we were split up into our classes (12 girls) and met all of our commanders and officers. We sat in classes given by the officers about what it means to be a soldier, the rules on the base, and the importance of being professional and timely. The first week of basic training was not as bad as I had expected, but the hardest part was definitely the language and being far away from home.

Yom Hazikaron was on the first Tuesday of being in the army and needless to say, it was an emotional experience for everybody involved. My unit participated in a tekes (ceremony)  for the entire base - a few hundred soldiers, commanders, and officers all stood at attention while we listened to the one minute siren sounded across the entire country to honor the fallen heroes. We then heard some speeches given by officers about the sadness of the day and the responsibility we have as the soldiers of Israel to carry on the fallens’ legacy and mission. During the singing of Hatikva, there was not one dry eye. I kept looking at my surroundings and then down at my uniform in utter disbelief that I now have the privilege of being a part of such an incredible body of people. At that moment, I remembered that although the road has been and will be hard, I am there for my country, for myself, and for the continuation of those heroes’ missions.

The next night was Yom Haatzmaut (Israel Independence day), and although we had to continue Basic Training, they had a BBQ in our area of the base...But they kept reminding us that this is not something we should get used to! We had a few classes about the establishment and existence of Israel. There was one class given by the head of our unit on what it means to be Israeli - if you can still be Israeli and live in America, or if you have to live in Israel to be Israeli. There were an array of opinions, and although I have never stood up to give an answer in front of everyone, I felt compelled to share my thoughts. I stood up, and in my obviously strong American and Lone Soldier accent, I expressed that being Israeli is something deeper than loving Chummus and Falafel. It’s being counted as one of the souls that live in this land and DO something for it. It is nice to talk about how much we love Israel, but we need to do something for it. I’m Israeli because I made Aliyah and am serving my country - does that mean I have an Israeli accent? No. Do I particularly love Shwarma and Tahini? Probably not. However, I do feel the deep and unbreakable connection to this land and am therefore Israeli. After that class, so many girls came up to me practically in tears, expressing how much my 2 minute rant inspired them. It is moments like these that make this journey all worth it to me.

That Shabbat, we were able to go home, and thankfully, my dad was in Israel! We stayed at hotel, along with my sister, in Herziliya. The hotel found out I was a lone soldier and surprised my family with free rooftop drinks, food, balloons, and lotions! I could not believe how incredible they were to me - every one of their staff came over and thanked me for serving their country. Not only that, they printed a route of the trains and busses I had to take the next morning to get to my base along with a private driver to take me to the train station. I was completely humbled by their treatment, yet it made me recognize how much the lone soldiers mean to the country.

Absorption Process

During this process, we took all of our army tests and interviews. Every single soldier has to go through something called Tzav Rishon which is basically a day to show the army that you exist and plan to become a soldier. The staff of Garin Tzabar at the Kibbutz took all of us to the Tel Hashomer army base for our Tzav Rishon. Needless to say, it’s a pretty long day. I started off with my interview. Each person gets a soldier who puts your name and information in the army’s system. For lone soldiers, this interview is especially important as it is also a test of the level of our hebrew. There is an actual hebrew test during the interview. In all honesty, the most important part of the interview and especially the test is CONFIDENCE. I’m not sure if I should say this, but half the time I had no idea what any of the words meant or what I was saying to the soldier, but I made it seem like I did. I ended up getting higher than a 7 which is high enough not to have to go to Army Ulpan and get the job I want (will get to that soon). I then went on to take some sort of an IQ test on the computer. The hebrew version is two hours, but as a lone soldier, I was able to take the test in English which is only 35 minutes. The test consisted of things like identifying patterns and filling in the missing piece - nothing to really prepare for. After that, I went to have a doctor checkup to make sure I am not a drug addict or have health problems. The jobs offered are also based on the score the doctor gives you on the physical examination. I thankfully got a 97 profile, the highest one. To sum it up, Tzav Rishon is an important day because the scores you receive based on the stations listed above contribute to your overall army profile which determines the possible job options.

A few weeks after Tzav Rishon, the girls had another similar day called Yom Hame’ah which is a more intense and ‘specialized’ day of tests and interviews to really find the right job for you. Again, as a lone soldier, the Hebrew was the most intimidating part as the day consisted of tasks like having 8 minutes to prepare a 4 minute lesson to a class (obviously in hebrew). There was a 2.5 hour test on the computer which tested many skills like reading and understanding graphs. Needless to say, it reminded me of the days that I suffered through taking the ACT- but this time it was harder and in a foreign language! We had to take a variety of tests, from sitting one on one with a psychologist while they watch you build a mechanical structure which was somewhat awkward... to group building activities and even having to ‘deal’ with an angry customer at a store. What I am most thankful for from that day was that because I am a part of Garin Tzabar, the group consisted of other Tzabar girls, so we were able to understand what we’re all going through and conquer the day together. Although the day was somewhat stressful, I felt accomplished when I completed and especially when I received my Manila a few weeks later.

What is a Manila, you’re wondering? It’s a list everyone gets of jobs you’re capable of based on how you scored on all of the tests and interviews. Thankfully, I got my top options: madrichat chir (infantry instructor) or madrichat chilutz vehatzalah (instructor for search and rescue) and mashakit tash (social worker of a base). My mashakiot (two female soldiers who live on our kibbutz whose sole job it is to take care of/ guise us in everything army) and I spoke about all of the jobs I received on my manila - they offered their own expertise and advice to really help me choose the right job for me. After much consideration, debate, and speaking to soldiers in each of the jobs I was interested in, I chose Madrichat Chir. It is not a combat job, although I teach combat soldiers how to use a specific weapon - I do not know which weapon I am teaching until 2 months into my roughly 4 months of training.  

Now, I am able to spend about a month back in Florida until my draft date of April 19th!

Why?

Why would a 17 and a half year old girl from Boca Raton, Florida leave the comfort of her home, family, and friends to make Aliyah and join the IDF? That idea sounds crazy, and in all honesty, despite the 1,001 times I have been asked this question, I have yet to formulate a coherent and logical answer. But I will try. Israel - the tiny dot on the world map - is my people’s homeland. Period. It is the land that G-d promised us in the biblical times of Moses, and it is the land that we, today in the 21st century, have the privilege and right of calling ours. However, there are those in the world whose sole purpose it is to annihilate Israel, and in doing so, destroy the Jewish People. However, you and I both know that will never happen. Why? Because now, for the first time in 2 millennia, we have our own country, our own government, our own army to protect us. The purpose of the State of Israel is to serve as a homeland for every jew in this world, to protect us against the evil that threatens our existence. When my family was being gassed and burned by the Nazis during the Holocaust a mere 70 years ago, they didn’t have anywhere to go- they didn’t have anyone to protect them. But now we do. So who am I not to defend the country that exists to protect my family and me? It is my obligation and responsibility to defend what is rightfully ours so that our brothers and sisters can live in peace without the threat of destruction knocking at their front door. What I’m doing is not noble - every teenager my age in Israel has to join the army. What I’m doing is, in fact, the fulfillment of my own responsibility to my land and people.