It's one thing to go through a difficult or challenging life experience. It's another thing to figure out the best way to write the lessons of that difficult period of myself, a mere 18-19 year old, complete basic training in the IDF, one of the most famous armies in the world. Simply put, along the [...]
"I want you to show me what type of power they exercised over you when you were younger. I really want to experience your life early on. What I would also like to experience is the emotional pull of your writing; I want to be transported into your emotional life more. I believe that your [...]
Chapter 10 of my memoir, Accidental Soldier: What My Service in the Israel Defense Forces Taught Me About Faith, Courage and Love and I'm faced with a daunting task of writing about a bullying scene which is key to solving my problem with a specific garin member, who happens to be British and a new immigrant. [...]
Doritos? Like what the fuck? How did he know to call me that name? He’s a Brit. They don’t have Doritos over there. Or do they? I want to tell him to go to hell. To shut the fuck up. I’ve been traumatized by the name “Doritos” all my public school life and right now, [...]
Each day when I go to write at our local library or our neighborhood coffee shop to write my memoir, Silence: What the Israel Defense Forces Taught Me about Faith, Empowerment and Courage, I'm already filled up with nervous anticipation: will I make progress with this scene? Can I get into the right mood and [...]
Note from author: A "garin" is a term used to describe a group of young people (either immigrants or native born Israelis) who do the army together - from start to finish - usually in the Nahal unit/division of the army. Historically, Nahal included such pioneers as Golda Meir and Yitzchak Rabin who were attracted [...]
Once I'm outside Ben Gurion airport and without my immigrant card, I try to remember what I'm supposed to do. Luckily, I have kept the letters my Dad and stepmother telling me about the brave decision I did to leave Mom and New York City. These letters are kept super close in my side pants pockets and for [...]
I had no idea how much 28 kilometers would really mean until we were about halfway through. Part of our march would lead us through the backway of houses and orchards and more apple fields. It was the first time I had the opportunity to size up the camp. We would pass by the same [...]
The day of our twenty eight kilometer march was scorching hot. Our “special” meal for the day consisted of the same old – eggs, cottage cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers, bread, and hot tea – similar to kibbutz food. I ate an extra helping of each for extra energy. We loaded up our gear for the trek [...]
“Smol, smol, smol, yamin, smol!” Left, left, left, right, left!” Groups of girls march in uniform past our tents, to the dining room and from every which way. As we waited for our commanding officers to arrive to our platoon for our morning gathering, I listened to the shouts at this base called “Machaney Shmonim” [...]
About halfway through our service on Shitim, a settlement in the middle of the Arava desert, the Israeli garin announced a theme night called, “An Evening for Love,” and I decided to contribute a musical solo by singing 2 well-known songs – “What I Did For Love” from the movie and Broadway hit musical “A [...]
I could hear Eli’s excited voice echoing through the telephone at the communications room known as “the kesher” at settlement Shitim. “When you gonna visit again?” he asked. Eli called! Eli called! Could it mean I finally get an Israeli boyfriend? That was all I could think about. No Israeli had I ever met for [...]
Perhaps you have been hearing of the rocket attacks fired from the Hamas into the South of Israel right now. The war on Israel. Prayers for peace. Need for a peaceleader like Yitzhak Rabin z"l who whispered peace. Now, Israel is on her own. We have no leader. All we have are pictures of a [...]
I am an Israeli soldier taking the first Friday bus up north to see my parents who just moved from the States to a settlement overlooking the Sea of Galilee known as Korazim. I reach high up for the blinds. My dogtag ID jingles. When I am satisfied with the right visibility length, I settle [...]