First Shabbat off of the army!

On Wednesday, November 16th, exactly 10 years after my Bat Mitzvah, I joined the Israeli Defense Forces.  The day was long, but I was ready.  I got my dog tags, my IDF personal number, my ID that allows me to ride public transportation for free, and my dental X-rays.  Following this long day (it lasted from 5AM and we finished at 8PM), we loaded busses to take us to our base in the South. We arrived at the base and had more talks and interviews.  I sat with an army social worker who made sure that I felt that I was getting enough money because of my lone soldier status and I sat with an officer who praised me for coming to join the army despite my "older age".  At 10PM that first night, we finally sat down for dinner, and at midnight I finally got my hour of free time before going to bed.  

The next day was filled with running from a Chet formation to two lines, and back again.  I did push ups, listened to endless lectures about how to wear my uniform, how to wear my hair, how to behave, how to sit in attention formation.  It was pretty miserable, but despite it all, I had a smile on my face.  I had followed my dream, and I was wearing an IDF uniform.  It felt so good.  I was assigned to a mefakedet (a commander), and a tzevet (my group of girls). These people, for the next two and a half months were going to be my best friends, my family, my translators, and my support.  We were together until the end of our course and I knew that we were going to be incredibly close despite our age difference.  

On Friday morning, after waking us up at 5AM, they released a bunch of us early because of how far north we live.  The commander of our entire course told us that we were now Israeli soldiers, Jewish soldiers, and we were representing the State of Israel and the Jewish people.  I was so emotional I couldn't stop smiling and I had tears in my eyes.  She turned to me and asked if I was okay, and I replied "Yes commander, I'm just extremely emotional".  The girls around me giggled.  They understand why I came, why I find it important, but they still found me funny.  But it didn't matter.  At that moment, so early in the morning, as I stood at attention with 15 other girls, I knew that the next two years were going to be difficult, but they were going to be incredible.  I had made the right decision.  I was in Israel, serving in the army, just like all of the other Israelis do.  I was in an army that protects MY people, the Jewish people.  The truth is, I'm excited to go back to the army on Sunday.  It's all an experience, and it's going to be a great one.