The Flame Has Been Lit

Generally speaking, the Americans who make aliya to join the Israeli army are an extremely passionate, idealistic group of people who strongly believe in what they're doing. With that said, through the difficult times in the army, it's very easy to forget the ideals and beliefs which brought us here. Reminders are scarce, but when they come, they make an impression. I've just had the most powerful weekend of my army life so far, one of these very reminders that will me to move forward and become a better a soldier.

After completing a fairly simple week on base (a competition against the other four infantry units), I was promised I could leave for the weekend, despite my unit closing. About three weeks ago, I received an e-mail from the director of the “March of the Living” southern region, a man with whom I have a strong connection from my time on the trip in 2010. He informed me that this years region would be here on the weekend and that he'd love to have me come speak to the participants.

After begging my commander and explaining the significance of the trip, he pulled some strings and arranged for me to exit for the weekend.

I met with the group on Friday night at the Kotel, recognizing may familiar faces from my days in high school, and meeting plenty of new faces, educators and Holocaust survivors alike. I spent the evening with them, catching up and hearing about their stories from Poland. On Saturday afternoon, we were invited to form a panel of alumni from the program currently living in Israel to explain or decisions and answer questions from the students.

Standing there in front of a room full of eager, newly proud and passionate students who had just seen the hell of what remains from the Holocaust in Poland, answering their questions about the army and what it takes to be in the army was entirely surreal. It brought me right back. It brought me back to that very room, when I was the newly motivated student listening to soldiers speak to me about why they made the “crazy” decision to move overseas and fight in the army.

For those of you who have been keeping up with the blog from the beginning, you'll know that my trip to Poland was a major factor in my decision to make aliya. Talking to these kids and seeing how strongly they felt about everything now, how strongly they appreciate the country and how strongly they want to get involved made me remember exactly how I felt when I was in their shoes. I was the most empowered I had ever been in my life when I was sitting in their seats, and speaking to them now lit that very flame in me once more.

I was privileged to be given Sunday off as well, a Yom Siddurim, and therefore joined the group on a tour of Ammunition Hill, a symbol of the reunification of Jerusalem and a personal symbol of victory for the Paratroopers. Not five minutes would go by without someone I had never met coming up to me and telling me thank-you for my service and how much they appreciate what I'm doing.

It's important for me to note that I'm not the type of person who likes too much attention, and I'm certainly not doing any of this for the praise of others. With that being said, however, the fact that these strangers all took time to tell me how important what I was doing for them really made me remember the reasons I'm here. It inspired me to become a better soldier.

As the day drew to a close, I was honored and privileged to have met Michael Levin's parents. For those of you who are not familiar with Michael Levin, he was a lone soldier who drafted to the Paratroopers at the age of 19. While on leave in the United States, the Second Lebanon war broke out and he cut his leave short in order to fight with his unit. During a battle in Lebanon, Michael gave his life for the state of Israel.

His story has become widely-known in the Jewish community around the world. His documentary, A Hero in Heaven, has touched me time and time again, and was even shown to us by our commanders during our first month in the army. Meeting the parents of a personal hero of mine, parents who paid a huge sacrifice to our nation and gave away their only son, yet continue to keep him alive with their words every day, was simply an honor for me. I have never been so inspired.

I'm on my way back to base now, invigorated and renewed as a soldier, ready for what lies ahead. The flame has been lit, so to speak, after having one of the most incredible weekends of my life.

This week, we spend some time in the West Bank before moving into an air force base on Thursday to begin our jump course, something I'm ecstatic about. There are some great weeks ahead and I'm looking forward to writing about them.

-Brett

P.S.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that today in Israel is Yom Hazikaron, Israel's memorial day. In this country, memorial day is certainly not about a sale at the local mall. Memorial day is about the entire country coming to a stand still to reflect on and remember the 23,085 lives lost defending our right to be Jewish in a Jewish homeland. May their sacrifice never be forgotten.