Yarom Ettinger
Away from the limelight, an increasing number of senior year high school students participate in multi-months courses, which prepare them for IDF special operations in particular and combat units in particular.
The participants represent the entire Israeli social, economic and ideological strata.
[I chose this title because just as Islam is responsible for the culture of Muslims and their motivation for Jihad, Judaism is responsible for the culture of Jews and their desire to do good.]
Please note that there has NOT been any organized PR campaign (privately or governmentally) on behalf of such courses. This is a grassroots phenomenon, which has caught fire among Doves and Hawks alike!
The enhanced popularity of such courses has been accompanied by an enhanced level of volunteerism, by conscripts, to the IDF combat and special operation units. The units which participated in the recent war have enjoyed the highest level of volunteers.
When one considers such a unique phenomenon among western democracies, in conjunction with Israel’s unique achievements – and contribution to humanity – in the areas of high tech, agriculture, medicine, human services and science, one realizes the source of LONG-TERM OPTIMISM concerning the future of the Jewish State, notwithstanding short-term political and security uncertainty.
The human element of the Jewish State has been its secret weapon, as it has been for the Jewish People at large!
Shabbat Shalom and may we heed the lessons of this portion of the week, Phinneas (Pinchas in Hebrew), whose act of war earned him a Divine Covenant of Peace :
-
*Conviction-driven war is a guardian of peace (as demonstrated by two modern-day Phinneas, Truman and Begin);
*Principled politically-Incorrectness serves society in general and the cause of peace in particular;
*There’s time to pray and talk and there’s time to act and employ military hardware;
*The FAMILY is the most critical nucleus of society;
*Women share equal rights to men;
*The higher the position, the heavier the responsibility and the more severe is the punishment for misconduct, as reflected through the punishment of Moses, one of the greatest human beings.
