Sunday Feb 22, 2009
Posted by D.B.
BlogCentral would like to welcome a new contributor to the Army Life blog: D.B. He was born and raised in Virginia, USA, and graduated from The College of William & Mary in Virginia in '07 with a degree in Government (Political Science). In September of 2007, D.B. made aliyah and is currently serving as a combat soldier in the Israeli Army, Golani infantry brigade.
I studied in a Jewish seminary (yeshiva) a few years back, and at the time I was just beginning to consider the idea of serving in the IDF. This particular yeshiva is a "charedi" institution - essentially ultra-orthodox. Charedi yeshivas are generally not very 'Zionistic', and their opinion of young men serving in an army instead of spending all day, every day, studying Torah is fairly low. So, when I volunteered to a rabbi that I was interested in the IDF, the response wasn't warm, to say the least.
The rhetoric thrown around was that the IDF is a "bad place for religious Jews." They liked to say that it's hard to be religious there, that it's hard to keep your level of faith, and that there are too many bad influences. At the time, I didn't have any other source of information. I didn't know what it's like to be an Orthodox Jew in the army, so I just took it for what it was worth: hyper-religious Jerusalemites judging what they had no experience in in the first place. I didn't know what to think, but I assumed that they were being slightly dramatic.
Sunday Jul 27, 2008
Posted by A.J.
There are a few milestones in a person's life that serve as markers, separating that person's life before and after that event. A wedding, the birth of a firstborn immediately spring to mind. I am currently on the verge of such a milestone event.
In approximately 7 days, I will take my place amongst the proud generations of Jews, who since the founding of the modern State of Israel, have had the right to join the Israel Defense Force and so defend the Jewish People and their land. The knowledge that I will now share in the burden of defending the State carries with it no small responsibility.
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About this blog
Army Life
A.J. made aliyah with his family in 2003 at the age of 15. After two years of study at a pre-army yeshiva , he joined the IDF's Armored Corp in August 2008.
D.B. was born and raised in Virginia, USA, and graduated from The College of William & Mary in Virginia in '07 with a degree in Government (Political Science). In September of 2007, he made aliyah and is currently serving as a combat soldier in the Israeli Army, Golani infantry brigade. D.B. also blogs at Israeli By Day, American By Night
They write about day-to-day experiences as soldiers, and observations about life in the army.
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Recent Comments
JOYCE, MISSOURI: To #19
You are so correct. If it was my state being shot at we would absolutely defend ourself, that is if Obummer can make up his mind weather to SEND RELIEF TROOPS OR NOT,oH WHAT A SICK WORLD WE LIVE INGOD BLESS iSRAEL
Gideon, RSA: The bible says "Pray withut ceasing". I pray lots, all day, every time I get on a motorcycle I pray. Don't worry about the trappings of religion regard them as a niice to have not a need to have.
The work you are doing is a blessing, it is a prayer in action.
Thank you.
Yehoshua Dalin: General (ret.) Effie Eitam said (roughly) "there is something about war-In English there is a word for it, "glory". I believe that in the struggle of war, as in the struggle of life, there is glory if there is PURPOSE. There is pain and death and suffering in all areas of life, not just in war. But if you struggle for the sake of God, then there is a purpose to life, and war. Without God, there is no purpose to life, or war, and therefore no glory.
As to "Demonizing the enemy"- if you don't believe that you are in the right and the enemy is in the wrong, you lose your ability to fight.
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