IDF SAR-EL details

Met with the CEO of Sar-el who gave a good prospective on the program, it's goals, and the importance to Israel. He had a good way to put it, we are not tourists but people who are part of society. He described it that we are doing Aliyah for the time we serve. He also said Israel will never be the same after Oct 7th....A looming sadness.

CEOs talk:
https://recorder.google.com/089eaab3-4e68-4de3-…

In the evening we spent time with an IDF soldier, that went over the IDF values, which can be found here:
https://www.idf.il/en/mini-sites/our-mission-ou…
She then talked about basic training and career choices. Also discussed Nadav a fallen soldier who left a fairwell message for friends and family. See the picture of his message.

More details...
Davening here is at a new level. That is true for the kotel as well, but davening hearing jet sorties and trucks rumbling give a real feel as to what I am davening for . Morning there are only 3 of us that do tefiilin in the small synagogue room. Mincha when the IDF supply chain is in we get about 13 for minyan. Maariv is sort of on your own.

So this group is about 33 people, more women than men, this proving women are better than men. Everyone comes from all over, here are some: Idaho, California, Minnesota,Florida, Texas, Lynn (us), england, South Africa, Poland, Israel, Ukraine, Canada , Australia, Chile, Germany... I would say 15%-20% are not Jewish which is particularly heart warming. Another person want to convert and is very Torah knowledgeable.

As far as the important food. Three meals, morning fairly typical breakfast that is dairy, lunch is the big meal and always meat, dinner is dairy and fairly light. Lots of protein and carbs, they love potatoes, pasta and rice.

In my work group was an IDF young woman, who was in a bombed shelter where most occupants were killed. She obviously suffered brain injury. In the USA they likely would give an honorable discharge. In Israel they gave her a supply roll she could train for thus giving her the dignity to continue to contribute.

We work all week doing seemingly crazy things, discard this to count that, package and seal another thing. In the end on Weds we completed 102 field surgical supply units. They go to what we know in the USA as MASH to units. It gave me a real feeling of accomplishment. At this one base 32 volunteers each providing 4 work days gives the IDF from giving 130 person work days. This does help the IDF keeping soldiers available to protect.

Benny was Michael's group lead, pictures added.もっと詳しく