Lt. to rt.: Bar Degan & Gili Karev

This past week our daughter went to the army. Now when you tell an Israeli mother your daughter went “in” she understands immediately what that means. But foreigners or people who did not grow up in Israel and do not understand the culture of this country -   they cannot comprehend the significance of that saying.

A year ago my family returned to Israel for a 10-month period. We were only going to come for the time when our daughter was doing her “gap” year in Israel. The papers were all signed, the deposit paid, and she was destined for college in the U.S. to begin in the fall of 2007. Our youngest child, Oren, was signed up for one year only at the American School, and he was registered to return to the US for his junior year of high school in September 2007. However, things don’t always happen as planned, and within a very short time of being in Israel, my children all declared they have no interest in returning to the US to continue their lives, they feel that Israel was their home, and is their home, therefore they are staying here. Considering that my own personal and professional life was all in Annapolis, MD not to speak of my husband and their father - this was quite a change for me.

A year later I am standing at the bacum (army induction base) with my whole family, and watching with tears streaming down my face as our daughter boards the bus and takes off for the biggest stage in her life. It seems like we are putting her on a bus for summer camp. She left with a big backpack and a few supplies. I can’t believe she is off to the army. The next time I see her, she will be a soldier.

Army in Israel is a rite of passage. When we served in 1976 things were different. My father dropped me off at Tel Hashomer, I said goodbye and went on my own to do my duty. I remember being in “Machane 80” in the Hiltons for basic training. We were there for eight weeks and the first week were introduced to ‘Uzi” our lover and best friend. We slept together – she was under the mattress and I was above. Our love affair lasted eight weeks. I don’t remember much of my first few months in the army, but for me, having grown up in Israel, it was an extension of my life and I never considered it a big thing. For our daughter on the other hand, this was huge.

When Gili decided to stay in Israel and join the army she called the recruitment center and said; “Hi, I would like to find out how someone that was born in the US can stay in Israel and serve in the army”. I drove her out to the recruitment center and she spent the next ten hours going through physical and mental tests, interviews and examinations. She took her older brother along to keep her company. Who knew that he too would be hooked and volunteer himself for service. (He goes in November 4). After the first “call up” she started receiving letters and phone calls from various branches of the military. She went for interviews, more tests, trials, more tests, and more interviews. All of this took over seven months. She was asked where and what she wanted to do in the army and how could the army make her service worthwhile for both of them. This was a huge change over my service time. In 1976 women were secretaries, and men were soldiers. No options, no questionnaires, no interviews. If you had protectzia (a bit of clout or personal pull) you were assigned to a good unit. I was assigned to the army spokesman’s unit. Now considered a premium spot, in my days, my native English skills assisted me into getting this job.

The army of today is different from the army my husband and I served in. Today the officers call the house before you start your service to find out if you have any questions. The kids get letters to the house welcoming them into the army. You go to the bacum where there is a huge circus of people that “send you off” with drums and cymbals like in the time of the bible. The kids come home on the first weekend, and shop at Rikushet for the latest military gear that they may need in their service, including Reebok black tennis shoes, a cover for your dog tag, special rubber bands for your boots that don’t pinch and extra socks.

As I dropped our daughter off today at her new base to begin her basic training course, where she will be living in tents and eating dust and sand for the next six months, my heart was so full of pride I thought it would burst. Yes, it’s true the army has changed from 30 years ago, but the basic principle of serving your country, and having pride in yourself and in your mission is still the same. So her life has turned around 360 degrees, and instead of sending her off to college we are sending her off to fulfill a duty that the youth of this country has been doing for the past 60 years, and we are so very happy for her.

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About the author

Hildy Karev

Hildy considers herself the "wandering Jew" having lived in Israel and abroad for most of her adult life. Israel has and will always be home, but her adventures around the world have kept li...
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