I’ve always felt a strong connection to Israel. Growing up, my parents tried their hardest to link our family’s Jewish identity with a sense of obligation, one that extends far beyond the walls of our synagogue and the borders of the community in which we were raised. My grandfather, Jack Kessler, fled Poland with his family in 1936 as they began to experience the initial threats of Hitler’s regime. They settled in New York, and my grandfather eventually raised my mother and uncles in a New Jersey suburb. By blood, I am historically and directly linked to displaced Jewish relatives, and therefore understand the powerful significance the land of Israel holds in the hearts and lives of the Jewish people.
With my family in mind, I listened to IDF Sergeant Benjamin Anthony speak to a roomful of undergraduates last Tuesday night, the 7th of February. Anthony, originally from the UK, enrolled in the Israeli Defense Forces on his own accord. Through his own personal experiences, he too has instilled a sense of responsibility and dedication to serving and protecting our homeland. And although this particular soldier was not speaking at Hillel on behalf of Israel or the IDF, he projected a strong admiration for the mission of those who do fight each day to ensure that the Jewish people have a place to call their own.
Sergeant Anthony clarified that the Israeli Defense Forces follow some of the most humane policies and procedures of any army in the history of the world. One particular procedure of interest is the specific step-by-step process involved in the IDF rules of engagement. Each soldier is trained to follow these detailed steps that essentially ensure the reality of a terrorist threat through face-to-face conversation. Specific, communicative processes such as this display the humanity of the IDF soldiers, and certainly strip away any racism, ignorance, or biases that could potentially be associated with the Israeli army.
While listening to Sergeant Anthony speak of his involvement and his life as influenced by serving in the IDF, I continued to feel a strong connection to his words and his story. The mission of the IDF is to protect Israel and her citizens, no matter their religion or race. The soldiers over there have no prejudices against other peoples, and only serve to ensure that the Jewish people, at the end of every day, still have a country that is theirs, and a place where they can live and practice their beliefs freely.
After soaking in all that Sgt. Benjamin Anthony spoke about on Tuesday night, I was reminded of the very reality the Jewish people face on a daily basis. No, today we are not suffering. But every day we each have a responsibility to our history and our future, and that alone connects us in the deepest of ways.
Aliza Roth '14