In honor of our Israel theme, a soldier from the Tzahal/ Israeli army came to speak to us. Chaim, who is originally from Brooklyn, New York came to tell us about his journey of becoming a soldier in the Israeli Army. As a young teenager, he spent a summer in Israel. After observing the dedication of the Israeli Soldiers to defend the Jewish land, he felt an obligation and desire to join when he would turn 18. Sure enough, a few years later he returned to Israel to fulfill that mission. He told us all about the training process and what it was like having to learn Hebrew during that time as well. He told us of some of his experiences as a soldier and the service he was assigned to. He joined the army at a time when many refugees from Sudan would walk all the way to Israel. He said that while the Egyptians would shoot any refugees they would spot, Israel was the only country to embrace them and give them shelter. Chaim gave us a feeling of how precious the land of Israel is to us as Jews since G-d promised it to Abraham our forefather. What an inspiring journey! Thank you Chaim for coming to share it with us.
