A guest blog by Michal Zur, the Greater MetroWest Director of Community Connections

Toward the end of the Protective Edge operation I had the opportunity to meet Elana, a soldier from Springfield serving in an Iron Dome unit, somewhere in the hills of Jerusalem. Her story was one of the most inspiring moments for me during this challenging summer. The unique story of the “lone soldiers” — SOULDIERS, as we call them — is remarkable; Young Jews from around the world, mostly from North America, pre- or post-college, who are joining the IDF, serving in all combat and elite units. Many of them end up making aliyah.

In the past few weeks, together with Jewish Family Service of MetroWest, we gathered the list of GMW lone soldiers and their parents. Surprisingly we found out that there are over 25 of them serving in IDF. An incredible number by itself, but thinking about it, it is a direct outcome of our community’s Zionist identity and our longstanding Israel commitment.

Many of our lone soldiers took part in one or more of our Israel programs: Taglit Birthright Israel, Masa, Diller Teen Fellows, Negev Fellowship and more. Others got engaged with Israel through their Jewish day school education. We are very proud of them all. We have decided, through a generous donation that we have received, to give them a treat. A community hug. We will reach out to each of them in the next few weeks, salute, and provide them with our community’s token of appreciation.

Elana’s story shows the power of our Israel Center programs. Other than providing the participants a fun and educational experience in Israel, we enable them to define their own connection to the land and its people, a direct and personal connection, which is essential in shaping one’s Jewish identity and identification. It is a must in developing and growing our next generation of community leadership. Here is one lone soldier’s story:

---

My name is Elana, Golda Och Academy graduate of 2011, from Springfield. I am presently serving as a lone soldier in the IDF in Operation Protective Edge and writing to you from my lovely and sweaty tent. During Operation Protective Edge my unit has teamed up with the Iron Dome unit. I am currently stationed near Jerusalem with my dog "View" and 25 male reservists. Since I am the only girl here, I have my own tent, which I happily share with my dog. I have a personal port-a-potty and even a key to the shipping container that houses a few showers, so yes, I am, in fact, a V.I.P.

I have been on this assignment for about a month and a half, with three Shabbats off. I am supposed to sleep during the day; but for anyone who is familiar with August in Israel's heat, you know it is almost impossible to sit still in the inferno.

It is a bit strange being here with reservists who are essentially all in their thirties. I find myself walking in on conversations about what their wives and children are doing at home. They share with me wisdom and a more mature perspective of both the army and civilian life in Israel. Thankfully, my best friend, View, a two-year-old Belgian shepherd, is here to save me from some of the awkwardness and boredom I inevitably experience while being in the field 24-7.

Families come to our site almost daily with homemade lunches and dinners. On Shabbats we have kiddush and sit around a big table under the stars with about three or four other families that have prepared enough food to last us a week. We receive donations from Israel supporters from all over the world and best of all, pictures and cards from children in Israel, thanking us for our service.

Once people hear my incredibly American accent and learn that I am a lone soldier, they immediately say "Kol hakavod (good for you), I love the big outlet mall in New Jersey, do you know my nephew from Teaneck?" and then close by taking my number, inviting me over for Shabbat dinners. The donations and outpouring of support and love is heartwarming and so incredible. Everyone wants to feel like they are doing their part, however small it may seem to join in this essential effort to fight terrorism.

It is crazy to think about the person I was nearly four years ago when I was a participant on Neshama (a three-month program for Golda Och seniors to further their Zionism and understanding of modern day Israel) to the person I am now. I am sure the staff and my fellow class members can testify to the fact that I was a bit rebellious, and an uninterested teenager who only cared about going out on free Shabbats and talking to my then boyfriend on the phone. There were a few weeks when I even called my parents begging them to buy me a plane ticket home.

I didn't make a strong effort to connect with Israel and took many of the activities for granted. Of course, I bonded with my grade, but in hindsight, I could have done a lot more. As soon as the trip ended, all the pictures went on Facebook and I returned home to my friends outside of Golda Och only to then realize that I had changed more than I expected. I had unintentionally developed a strong Jewish identity; "neshama," my Jewish soul, was emerging and I was so proud of who I had morphed into. I was excited to make a scrapbook and tell my friends about all of my adventures.

I was even more excited when I understood a few words of the impatiently arguing Israeli couple in front of me in line at Target. I was most excited to invite my Golda Och friends over to my house for the first time, to share laughs outside of our usual environment. Suddenly, after Neshama, being Jewish was cool. It no longer meant that I had to keep kosher, keep Shabbat, or go to temple more than twice a year. I learned how to be a Jew, but in my own way; how to be an "Israeli" — the coolest species of them all. I could have a dreadlock in my hair, go to my local Chabad for Shabbat dinner, and then catch a movie with my friends. Learning how to become a young, spiritual and proud Jewish adult on my own terms was exhilarating.

I graduated from Golda Och Academy and began my college journey at SUNY Albany. It didn't take long before my appetite for an Israel adventure kicked it. I signed up for a program run by the Greater MetroWest community called "Onward Israel." A few months later, my brother, 11 other young adults from New Jersey, and I embarked on this pilot program where we would study entrepreneurism in the Negev. We lived in apartments in Arad, which truly helped us feel integrated into Israeli society. We spent many days hiking, visiting solar farms, and learning why the Negev is so essential to Israel's geography. We spoke with many small business owners who expressed the pros and cons of working in such an arid climate. By the end of the trip every one of us left with a deep appreciation for the beautiful desert.

I happened to leave with a little more than my fellow participants; I left knowing that in exactly a year from our departure date I would  be making aliyah and beginning my army process. Throughout the two-month program I spoke with my madrichim (counselors) everyday about the army; I met with other lone soldiers and asked every question under the sun to ensure that I knew more or less what I was getting myself into. I left the program with more insight and ready to continue my journey.

If it were not for Neshama, Onward Israel, and the spiritual journey that these programs took me on, I wouldn't be serving in the IDF today, completing in my opinion, the ultimate mitzvah of all, defending the Jewish state.

I want to thank all of my teachers at Golda Och for being patient with me and sharing all the tools and lessons needed to set my moral and spiritual compass. Thank you to the leaders of Onward Israel for sharing with me a very special side of Israel that many tourists never see. Lastly, I want to thank everyone in my community and all my friends and family who send me emails or write to me on Facebook asking how I am doing during this incredibly stressful time.

Love you all,
Elana