Beyond the Uniform: A Vision for Building Israel Together

Last week I found myself back in uniform. Like many reservists over the past two years, I reported for duty not entirely sure what we would be doing. Many soldiers find themselves arriving on base and then spending hours waiting—waiting for something to happen, completing a mission or shift, and then waiting for the next one. Waiting.

The fact that so many soldiers are waiting—spending days on base, coming home and then returning again—has not changed the feeling among many Israelis: a quiet sense that they are happy to be called up, summoned by the State to take action. People want the opportunity to contribute.

This past Thursday night I witnessed another example that demonstrated this desire to help. A week into the war (Lion’s Roar / Epic Fury), rocket sirens still going off day and night. A message went out: someone has gone missing, people are worried about him.

Within hours, more than a hundred volunteers responded to this WhatsApp message asking for help. In the middle of the night, people drove north and spread out through towns, forests and fields, systematically searching for any sign of the missing person. By morning, thankfully, he was found, safe.

It is a small example, but one that reflects something deeply........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)