What do a tattoo artist, an IDF wounded warrior, and a scorpion have in common? Brilliant blue eyes and smile lines etched in his face could not diminish the horror of the event he was describing. Possibly it was this inherent charm, his almost apologetic leaning towards me as he spoke as if subconsciously pleading … More Scorpion by Nature: PTSD and other labels
Is it possible to mourn a man you don’t know? A wave of sadness hit me and, with a sigh, I sat down next to the grave of Lt. Col M., tears welling up in my eyes. The fresh grave was piled with flower wreaths, bright and beautiful, a silent testament of the grief of … More Heroism, unsung: Lt. Col M.
“Hero” is an overly used, often inappropriately used word. Tzur Alfi was a hero. For two years Tzur prepared himself, training to be able to join one of the premier elite IDF units – Airborne Rescue and Evacuation Unit 669, a combat search and rescue extraction unit. The unit participates in extraction of IDF soldiers (including … More Hero
I did not watch “Seven Days in Entebbe” and I don’t intend to. When the trailer came out my first reaction was excitement. This story is one of the best, breathtaking, exciting, moving, against-all-odds, adventure stories I have ever heard and, best of all – it’s real. And it’s OURS. My second reaction to the … More Operation Thunderbolt
The Ballad for the Medic is one of the most powerful songs about the IDF. On Yom Hazikaron, IDF Memorial Day for fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism, the radio is full of songs that have to do with the army, bereavement, and memory. Many of these songs are very beautiful and some are also … More Shlomo Epstein – IDF Medic
His voice is now a shadow of the spine-tingling hair raising, rich sound his throat once produced. The small man with the huge smile that was standing on stage, in front of me, is a living legend. That is why the audience came. Most were already aware that he can no longer sing like he … More Listening to a living legend – Israeli singer Yehoram Gaon
Dear people of Sutherland Springs, I am writing to you, from Israel, to tell you that I see you. Halfway around the world, with enough worries of our own, it was heart-breaking to hear of the devastating shooting in your community. We know what it means to have our loved ones ripped from us. I … More An open letter to the people of Sutherland Springs from Israel
A regular man, Niv Nehemiah would have preferred to remain anonymous. His family takes no comfort in being told that he is a hero. They want him to heal, to stop being in so much pain. Two months after the terror attack in the Yavneh grocery store, where he works, everything is a challenge. He … More Heroism looks like Niv Nehemiah
George E. Marcia Jr. lied about his age so he could enlist. It’s almost shocking to write the word “lie” in the same sentence as my grandfather’s name because he was the most honest, accurate man I have ever met. My grandfather, my Saba was a stickler for details, a man with the mind of … More My Grandfather Was Semper Fi
As I hear more and more reports on the terror attack in Orlando I can’t help but think that there is something terribly wrong in America. No, I don’t mean the crippling political correctness that is killing the western world. At least at the moment, that’s not what I am referring to. I’m not talking … More With my own body I would stop him
Inspiration from Zion: This is a Love Story 