The Army Experience

I have 1 more week left of basic training.

It has been such an eye opening experience.
From learning to shoot an M-16, sleeping in a tent with 12 other soldier's, learning about chemical warfare, being trained on first aid, learning how fight using a rifle (a.k.a Krav Maga) , forced to eat food in 10 minutes, guarding my base fully clipped in the middle of the night, needing permission to use the washroom, and being told what to do by younger people with higher ranks than me.

It's been a new way of life, and a tremendous growth period for me.

I'm quite confident to say I've made life long friends at base Machaneh Shmonim.
The beauty of basic training is that the people I befriended I would have never met had I not been drafted. I figure I've been on hundreds of buses and trains in Israel, but it's not like I introduce myself to everyone I see. So by being the army, I've been in tons of social interactions with so many soldier's, and done so much together with them that naturally friends are made.

Try to put yourself in my shoes.
I moved to Israel and started over with essentially zero friends.
Since I came I've been in 3 yeshiva's, 1 semi organic kibbutz, and now the army, it's been a great start to my story here in Israel.

I have much in common with many, and look forward to being apart of these amazing people's lives for the years ahead.

~

Another thing that's been on my mind is Judaism and the opportunity to practice my faith in the army.

Before I drafted I was warned that it would be hard to be spiritual and religious in the army.
I was written to from family, from friends, and rabbi's that it would be spiritually dangerous.

I want you and the world to know a few things.

The army gives you the right to pray the appropriate times a day needed.
The soldier's are fed kosher food and if need be you can even request 'Glatt' kosher' (an even higher standard of kosher food).
We get short breaks throughout the day to do whatever we want and if one wanted to one could learn Torah then.
And lastly I even made myself a friend that I generally learn Torah with every night before bed.

The army can be as spiritual as you want, the choice is yours, and I don't feel any pressure to drop my spiritual level, in fact the other soldiers some of which are secular have told me they appreciate my love for G-d and Torah and that it motivates them to grow.

Which leads me to a story that happened to me this week.
2 weeks ago I lost a really cool toiletry bag given to me by the army. It was filled with quality products I brought from Canada.
I had asked the commanders if someone had brought it in to them, they said no.

Life went on!

My incredible mom, who always comes through, gave me zip-up bag of her's and I filled it with new stuff.

Then this week after an intense cleaning of our tents a toiletry bag full of things was found in my tent that no one was claiming.
I got hold of the bag and thought to myself, all I really want is the bag! It's army colours and everything! Someone probably stole mine, what's wrong with taking someone elses.

Then another side of me thought, but how could steal someone's things.
I'm supposed to be a light in this world, not the darkness.
I can just buy a new a bag in some army store on my free time.
Besides I believe in G-d, and the sin of stealing isn't worth it to me for it would distance me from my Father in Heaven who loves me dearly and knows I could do better than that.

So I decided not to steal the bag, and chose to ask the other soliders in the other tents if anyone was missing their bag.

I entered the first tent I saw during my 1 hour of free time determined to find the person that lost their valuables.

I asked out-loud if someone was missing their toiletry bag and a solider and fellow friend responded "what's in it?"
I told him, "why don't you tell me what's in it!"
He smiled and said "I actually lost my bag this week and was given another from the commanders who claimed that it was given in by a solider a week earlier"
I asked him what was in his bag, he opened it up and it was all my things!!

Then I opened the bag I was holding for him and it was all his things!!

We were both stunned!

What are the chances of that happening!

I feel that it was a test for me.
Had I chosen to do bad, I would have gotten a toiletry bag indeed, but lost out on my things and stolen goods from a friend.
But by choosing to do good I was rewarded with my original toiletry bag and products.

What a beautiful world, and a meaningful one.

Basic Training 10 Days Deep

I'm in.

I'm in the heart of the country and you know what I feel the love.

The army is going incredible for me.

I wake up a little before 5am everyday when the stars are still shining brightly.
What a sight!

Then half of my unit join together for prayers in the army base's synagogue.

Then the day moves on to all kinds of training. From running, to push ups, and other exercises. Then we get weapon training, and all kinds of classes on all kinds of topics like safety, and history lessons on wars Israel has been through.

My faveorite part of the army are the people I've met.
I share a tent with 11 other incredible guys.


One of the guys is from Harvard, the funniest person ever! He brightens my day dearly!
Another guy, is from Scotland. He's blond with blue eyes, 6 foot something and a convert. He prays 3 times a day, puts on his tefillin, and get this... he's gay!
At least for me, that's an eye opening experience! He's actually one of the coolest people ever!

Im going to hang out with him tonight and a bunch of guys from the base. (We got out early from the army today).

I could go on about all the other guys, but all in time.

It's not all rainbow's and butterfly's.
The army definitely can get challenging.
We sleep in a tent.
We're always on the go, and have NO CONTROL!!
We are always told what to do.
You can't just sit down when you want, you're told what to wear and when to wear it, when to shave, o yeah and I carry an m-16 (a gun) everywhere including to bed! It's literally under my mattress when I sleep! I have to take it to the shower, bathroom, and to lunch, everywhere! It's like being in a serious serious relationship minus the whole going to the washroom together thing, and my gun doesn't speak or listen, and it's not human... ok so it's not like being in a relationship...

It's just always around, and if you get caught without it. BIG TROUBLE.

We don't get too many opportunities to use the phone, we eat good food- buffet style- however it's usually the same stuff (for example lunch alternates from hot dogs or shnitzel with rice, tons of vegetables and salads, white bread, potatoes, pasta, and more).

But hey, it's just a phase in life.

Ultimately I'm happy I signed up.
It's a fun experience and I'm learning a lot.

I would have never met these people otherwise, I'm also learning a lot about managing people by seeing how the army conducts it's enormous self, I'm pushing myself in a totally new direction, and ofcourse I'm serving the mother land.

So far so good!

Time to go out and enjoy myself!

LO
VE

Adam Ezekiel