Black vs Srugie

From the Jerusalem Post:

Aug 10, 2007 8:42 | Updated Aug 10, 2007 8:42
Haredi rabbis in IDF fear replacement
By JPOST.COM STAFF

Haredi rabbis in the IDF rabbinate are concerned that the army wants to replace them with rabbis from the national religious sector, Israel Radio reported on Friday.

The rabbis say the haredi presence in the military rabbinate is decreasing, and that there is a growing tendency to prepare national-religious officers for the rabbinate.

According to one IDF source, the fact that priority is given to rabbis coming from fighting units rather than haredi yeshivot could cause a rift between those yeshivot and the army.

The report also said the number of rabbis taking the army's officer's course has doubled in the past year, and even tripled in comparison to previous years. The rabbis receive the rank of lieutenant following the course.

The IDF said in response to the report that the number of rabbis pressed into officer positions due to a shortage of reservist rabbis has grown, and added that the army respects every rabbi as-is and will continue to encourage the service of haredi officers.


> There are so many things that are wrong with this, I dont know where to start. Oy.

Training Day

Before joining the army, I was curious, nervous and very excited. I had no idea what was going to happen, and put a lot of irrational fear and over thinking into what it would be like. I researched, checked blogs, scoured the internet, and finally built what I thought was an accurate portrayal of the army in my head. I realized I had no idea what was going to happen when I walked into Ricochet with my friend Josh and ordered everything on my extensive list, a combination of suggestions I had read on the internet, the army’s checklist, and something from the Jewish Agency. I got things I never used, but it’s still good to have some random piece of kit in your bag, just in case. I try to make my motto “always be prepared”, and while I am not much of a boy scout, having a safety pin in your pocket can be real handy sometimes. Leading up to the army, I think I watched Full Metal Jacket way too many times; it really made me expect something altogether different than what actually happened. When we got our rifles for the first time, someone did start singing “this is my rifle, this is my gun” which was an ongoing joke for the English speaking guys during basic training. Everywhere during basic someone was quoting that movie, or someone rattling on about gumbo or Vietnam ala Forrest Gump. In many ways, basic training was a lot like summer camp with guns with a few small differences. Lots of long days, plenty of running around, formations, tons of food, constant snacks, great friends, and plenty of small annoyances. I found it critical to think positive, and looking back I think I had a great time. One of my teammates told me I did a lot of grumbling and always wanted more information about what is coming next. I did remember not being very happy with the first couple weeks and not knowing what was going to happen, eventually we had a posted schedule of the weeks’ activities.

I recently showed a friend who is a former US Marine my pictures from basic and he said he was shocked we looked like we were having a good time. He said “It looks like summer camp, in the Corps they were actually like in the movies”. I love it that in Israel the point of the army is not exclusively to make you the best soldier you can be, they are always thinking about what comes next and how to make you the best civilian you can be. The trips to cultural, national and religious attractions I have gone on in the army have only reinforced how important the country is to the army, and the soldiers who serve in it.

Getting back to basic, I did have tons of questions, I wanted to understand every aspect of the army, and how everything worked. I got to know the term “sheylat kitbag” or kitbag question quite well. It refers to a more or less obvious and idiotic question you pulled out of your army duffle bag that you were saving from when you joined the army. The response to this type of question is also used when the NCO has no idea what the answer is and wants to make something up. For example, our rifles during basic training were long M16’s from the Vietnam era, older than pretty much anyone on the base. One of the NCOs told us that the reason there was a picture of a horse engraved on the side of the gun is because the Colt Company used to be a toy manufacturer. The story goes that they decided to make rifles since it proved to be more profitable than making toys. My friend and I volunteered to research the topic and provide some factual information about the M16, Colt, and the origins of the modern rifle. We went through all the information Wikipedia had on the subject, and came up with a great briefing. During our “camping out” time around the shooting ranges, the entire team sat around in a circle and we shared the story of the M16, from when it was developed post WWII to today.

The army in general is a relaxed place. Soldiers call each other bro, and soldiers address officers by their first name. Saluting is usually reserved for ceremonies and training, everyone is always ready to do what they have to do if required. I love it that people are always so in touch with the folks back home, coming home weekends, constantly on the phone, and always planning weekend activities. Service here is all about making friends, doing a great job, serving the country, and really being a part of something special.

Schwartz and the mega-super-ultra-stupendous ice cream sundae

I got an email a couple days ago from someone asking for another Schwartz story, so here is one from way back in the day. Since my memory is not really all that great, this story is how I best recollect things. This means that this story may be completely different than how it happened, or an elaborated version of real events.

Schwartz and the mega-super-ultra-stupendous ice cream sundae

We were once hanging out in downtown Toronto, enjoying a nice day strolling around the busy streets. I don’t remember what we were doing down there, except it was a rather warm day and there were plenty of birds chirping. Walking into a nearby mall, we walked around and window shopped, Schwartz looked at the clothing and accessories stores, while I carefully perused the computer and gadget places. After a while, Schwartz told me he was in the mood for something, something cold and delicious. Unaware of what he could be referring to, we continued to ramble, until we happened upon an ice cream stand. Schwartz’s eyes lit up and I thought of my Dad saying “make sure your big eyes match your stomach”. It was hard to take in the multitude of flavors and options; there was just so much milky goodness. I decided on one of my all time favorites, a scoop of daiquiri ice, which is a strange tasting pale green sorbet. I was also eyeing the tiger tail, another favorite of mine. It made up of orange sherbet filled with swirls of melted black licorice and quite a good contrast. My usual third option is my fallback plan, French vanilla. If it was not for the fact I was lactose intolerant, I would be eating a whole lot more of plain vanilla ice cream.

Getting back to Schwartz, he was thinking about going for the mega-super-ultra-stupendous ice cream sundae. This amazing sundae contained everything a mega-super-ultra-stupendous ice cream treat should, a dozen huge scoops of ice cream, a split banana, peaks of whip cream, all topped off by sprinkles, nuts and of course, cherries. I don’t think in the history of the ice cream shack had someone actually ordered a mega-super-ultra-stupendous ice cream, and the woman at the counter asked twice to make sure this is what he really, really wanted. Confirming that he really did want a mega-super-ultra-stupendous ice cream treat, could pay for it, and would probably eat several, the nervous counter woman started to scoop the ice cream. I think she may have felt a little guilty, since it’s like someone going in to a store and asking for a thousand corn beef sandwiches, they just have to make sure you don’t want to just put an end to everything. After all, who hasn’t heard of death by chocolate? Scoop by scoop the ice cream started piling up in the enormous sundae dish. I lost count of how many there were, first came the plain vanilla scoops followed by chocolate. Jamaican chocolate rum, cookie dough, fudge, maple walnut, strawberry cream, cookies and cream, cream and cookies and many, many more followed. Once the ice cream was arranged just so on the tray, an entire can of whipped cream, or several thousand calories worth, followed. From the forests of Brazil rained hundred of various nuts, closely followed by a rainbow of sprinkles and candy bits. Not to be outdone, several scoops of crushed cookie were liberally applied, and to top it all off, enough cherries to, well, enough cherries. The mega-super-ultra-stupendous ice cream sundae was all its name said it would be, and a lot more. After waiting patiently as this stupendous ice cream concoction was created, Schwartz dug in with gusto.

I won’t go into detail about what happened next, suffice it to say he stared the sundae in the eye, and it didn’t blink. Since that day, I think about projectile vomiting in a whole new way. The lesson to learn here is, if the ice cream is mega-super-ultra-stupendous, just walk away and leave it alone before it comes looking for you.

Making it in Israel (my heroes)

I guess in a way it was easy for me to start a new adventure in Israel. After I went to the dig in 2005, I had a house to go to, knew people on my Moshav, and felt like I had a place here. Despite being an outsider, not really speaking Hebrew, not knowing all that many people who still lived here, I still had somewhere to go home to. During the last couple years, I went to Ulpan, joined the army, went digging, and put together all the pieces of my life. Thinking back, I guess I really had it easy. Even though my house didn’t have windows when I arrived and was undergoing a huge renovation, and I spent a couple months sleeping in a tent and sleeping bag, because we didn’t have windows yet, I still didn’t have to pay rent or feel pressured to make things work.

My heroes are my friends who I see slogging it out on a daily basis to make the dream of aliyah work. Its hard to impossible to stay in Israel without adapting and integrating, things made much harder while putting themselves through school, working and always juggling a dozen things. The fact that they pull it off is a huge inspiration to me, it really shows that with effort, determination and desire, you can accomplish anything. I have such enormous respect for the people who are making a go of it with their best foot forward, I think that a couple years of struggling, directed in the right direction can pay off with huge dividends later on in life. Maybe an Oleh without that initial struggle doesn’t really understand what it’s like to truly be Israeli and is still living in tourist mode. Deciding you’re going to go ahead with making the radical change of coming to Israel, and making it work no matter what is amazing. It really makes you part of the whole, like it says in the Salach Shabati movie, “I may have it hard now, but just wait till I am the old hand and new people come to Israel, I am totally going to have fun with them”. Before you know it you become a real part of society and are a major part of making it better.

Kol Hakavod.

Utopia in a fortune cookie

Confucius from the "The Wisdom of Confucius"

"When things are investigated, then true knowledge is achieved;

when true knowledge is achieved, then the will becomes sincere;

when the will becomes sincere, then the heart sees correctly;

when the heart sees correctly, then the personal life is cultivated;

when the personal life is cultivated, then the family life is regulated;

when the family life is regulated, then the national life is orderly;

and when the national life is orderly, then there is peace in this world."

Finally, some changes to Shlav Bet!

From Jpost

Aug. 3, 2007 1:45 | Updated Aug. 3, 2007 15:34
IDF revamping 'Shlav Bet' for new olim
By YAAKOV KATZ

Under pressure from new immigrants and in an effort to encourage aliya and better utilize its human resources, the IDF is in the final stages of revamping its Shlav Bet program for immigrant men who join the army in their mid-20s and plans to begin tailoring jobs for those from Western countries, The Jerusalem Post has learned.

The new plan, the brainchild of OC Human Resources Maj.-Gen. Elazar Stern, is designed to better utilize immigrants who arrive in Israel at an age at which they can still serve in the IDF. The program is a joint effort with the Immigrant Absorption Ministry, which plans to advertise the initiative on its Web site and in target communities in the West.

In the meantime, the Post has learned of a group of new immigrants currently serving in Shlav Bet who, lamenting that they were wasting much of their time and could perform more useful service, sent a proposal including a number of key recommendations on Thursday to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and to IDF Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi.

Shlav Bet is a service track designed for new immigrants aged 22 to 25. It consists of six months of military service including basic training, an optional Hebrew ulpan and then a course that trains the soldiers to fill a variety of positions - including as tractor drivers, tank mechanics, artillery operators and truck drivers. On average, the IDF holds two Shlav Bet drafts a year consisting of some 200 recruits.

Following the drop in the number of immigrants to Israel and a simultaneous increase in the number of immigrants coming from Western countries such as the United States, France and Great Britain, the IDF decided to revamp the program and instead of "throwing" soldiers into jobs while ignoring their degrees and work experience, the army will now work to find personally-tailored jobs for the new recruits.

"The makeup of new olim today has changed," a senior officer in the IDF Human Resources Department told the Post Thursday. "We are aware of this and are working to make the necessary changes so we can better utilize the soldiers and their skills."

In their own proposal sent out this week, the Shlav Bet soldiers bring two examples of soldiers who came to Israel highly motivated and with advanced degrees but spent their military service cleaning gardens in various military bases. One soldier had a degree in international relations from Oxford University and had worked in the British Parliament. He asked to serve in the IDF's Strategic Planning Division but instead spent months cleaning Northern Command headquarters in Safed.

"We came to Israel to serve in the army and contribute," a Shlav Bet soldier told the Post. "But instead we are doing absolutely nothing and we, as a human resource, are being wasted."

Fearing a drop in aliya numbers, the IDF is planning to interview all recruits for the next Shlav Bet draft, scheduled for December, prior to their enlistment and to try to find them jobs that suit their qualifications.

This week, the IDF signed up a new immigrant with an engineering degree from MIT to a three-year service in the air force. It does not, however, promise to replicate anything like that for Shlav Bet soldiers. And if a Shlav Bet recruit would like to serve in a more serious job according to his/her qualifications, he or she would need to sign on for an extended military service of at least one to two years.

Jobs will be found "according to the degrees and qualifications the recruits come with," an officer said. "We are looking for people with degrees in exact science, engineering and international relations. If someone comes with a degree in fitness or sports, we may not be able to make use of that."