.JPG) |
| One big family. |
When my daughter Aviva’s new Ethiopian
soldiers arrive on base, they are beaming, white teeth gleaming behind open
ready smiles, happy to please and succeed.
and how to work under time constraints.
shalosh (one, two, three).
times a day as they run in circles, trying to figure it out. She shows them how
to tell time on a watch and how to grip a pencil.
gun, speaking to them in simple Hebrew, trying to ingrain the new words. They go to Hebrew classes where a 19-year-old teacher instructs them in the language basics.
praise and encouragement. When she wants to make them feel really accomplished, she asks them to run. At first, they want
to do this bare foot and fly like gazelles, maybe run straight for a desert.
But Aviva shakes her head and insists they wear army boots and stay in formation.
to them after they have arrived, checking in to see if they are ok, always explaining when they should be back on base Sunday morning. She has gone to the hospital emergency room with her sick soldiers, sitting with them, ensuring they get proper care.
estate agents to help the lone soldiers find reasonable apartments.
.JPG) |
| Soldier with proud mom graduating as paratrooper. |
geography and science, teaching them about the solar system, our
planet Earth and space ships that travel to the moon. Here is a conversation from one recent class:
sky?
all at once: Hashem!
there are other balls out there.
ball?
world?
during the day?
In 2005, 3,000 Ethiopian students graduated from higher education institutions, and 1,500 others graduated at the university level.
After they graduate from their three-month
course, she will follow their lives by being there to celebrate future army
successes and help solve struggles.
.JPG) |
| ‘Class picture.’ |
She may not take them to the moon, but she will escort them into their future.
Aviva and her guys have become
one solid team. And this is what helps solidify Israel, strengthen its
unity and forge it into a cultural and spiritual mosaic unique in this world.
0
0
1
455
2595
Amnic
21
6
3044
14.0
Normal
0
false
false
false
EN-US
JA
X-NONE
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:”Table Normal”;
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:””;
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
is as big as our hearts. Just ask anyone in this IDF unit.
Discover more from Life in Israel
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Life in Israel 