Finished Basic Training

A month after I first started basic training and the course attached to it, my time at Michveh Alon is finally over. It’s been an exhausting month, I never thought that I could really push myself on as little sleep and as much activity as I did. I made many close friends, and I hope to see most again soon at the courses we will eventually be sent to. One of my instructors told me the Hebrew equivalent of: “you’re a small cog in a huge machine, but everyone is important to make things work”. It was at times hard, cold and snowy, but somehow it all worked out well in the end.

We ended things off last week with a couple days in Jerusalem. For the first time, I got to see the Old City, the Jewish Quarter, Yad VaShem (the Holocaust museum), and Ammunition Hill from a new perspective. Going back to places I had been a million times before in uniform made a profound impact on me, and for the first time, I really started feeling like a soldier. We had a tekes (ceremony) at the Western Wall; everyone stood at attention and sang Hatikva (The Hope, the national anthem on Israel). I remember all the times I walked by and saw the same ceremony when I was younger, being on the inside and experiencing it first hand really made me feel a part of something much bigger, serving for something important and real. Being in uniform around civilians made a huge impact, it’s easy to forget everyone is dressed the same while on a base with thousands of people. When you stand out and are always aware you are different it really makes you think.

Next week is my swearing in ceremony, and my first assignment. I will be sent to a new base, and new job, and my first adventure with a bit of independence. Not having someone tell me what to do and where to be every second is going to be an interesting change, but I am glad I made it through tiranut (basic training).

So much to write about, I hope to catch up in the upcoming months when I have more time.