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ALIYAH DIARY

A Shared Choice

Laura Ben-David

ou know those things that As I took in the proceedings I gazed The officer shouted, “French!” and
stir the deeply intense, at the faces of these hundreds of new the line was repeated in French. Then
raw emotions that Zionism soldiers, clearly immigrants from all Spanish. Russian. German. Italian.
Yinspires within us? Singing over the world. I looked proudly at the Chinese. Finnish. Ukrainian. Amharic.
Hatikvah. Watching the movie ‘Exodus.’ many Israeli flags waving above them Kuki. Each line was received with
Finding an unexpected El Al plane any- in the early evening breeze, bright blue resounding applause since everyone,
where in the world. Hearing the Yom and gleaming white. The sun slowly soldiers and guests alike, understood
HaZikaron siren. Seeing IDF soldiers dipped behind the westerly mountains the commitment and sacrifice behind
doing, well, just about anything; espe- casting a wonderful golden glow. The each foreign-born soldier’s decision,
cially at a formal IDF ceremony… I am band was playing ‘Jerusalem of Gold.’ who was not born with the obligation
particularly susceptible to these emo- I was crying. to serve, rather chose it.
tional triggers; they are no less pow-
erful after more than a dozen years of Ceremonies can be long and boring; The officer shouted, “Arabic!” An Arab
living in Israel. Perhaps, they are more filled with speeches and more than Israeli soldier stood up and called out
powerful. enough pomp and circumstance. One the translation in Arabic to thunderous
might imagine that the strict discipline applause. We thought nothing could
of the army would render a ceremony surprise us more… when the officer
that much more rigid. I know I speak called out, “Yiddish!” A bearded, young,
for just one ceremony, but, really, religious soldier stood and recited his
think about all the Israelis you know. line to equally resounding applause.
The only time I imagine you will get Clearly, the symbolism of the final two
thousands of Israelis standing at atten- languages was planned. And served
tion, silent and motionless is during its purpose well. Arabic and Yiddish
the Memorial Day and Holocaust Day are spoken by two rather opposite
sirens. And then it’s only for a maxi- segments of Israeli society: Arabs and
mum of two minutes.
ultra-Orthodox Jews. While they are
The guests were relaxed; the soldiers from Israel, as opposed to most of the
slightly less so. My camera was clicking other soldiers at the ceremony, they
away as I tried to capture the excite- traditionally do not serve in the army.
ment; the timelessness; the immense In that way, the Arabic and Yiddish
pride on every soldier’s face. Not just speakers had much more in common
the soldiers, but their officers. And with the rest of the soldiers than you
their families. And the guests from might have thought.
the local kibbutz who came to show
support. And the Nefesh B’Nefesh Lone You see, they, too, left their comfort
An Israel Defense Attending my first ‘tekes siyum’ or basic Soldiers Program team who come to zone and made a choice: they chose
Forces swearing-in training completion ceremony, I expect every. Single. Ceremony. It doesn’t get Israel.
ceremony at the to be moved. And I was. old. Not ever.
Kotel. (PHOTO: IDF)
I was stunned at the vastness of the Then the soldiers did something Laura Ben-David is a photographer, public
field and the hundreds and hundreds remarkable. They were down on their speaker and Israel advocate. Inspired by her
of soldiers standing in formation, knees, and a soldier stood and called Aliyah experience, Laura began writing and
waiting to march onto it. I pulled out out words that are the title of a very never stopped. She is the author of Moving
my camera as I spotted James, our popular Israeli folk song: “Ein li eretz Up: An Aliyah Journal, a memoir of her move
cousin and our very own ‘lone soldier’, acheret!” to Israel. She has spoken worldwide about
the one whose presence brought us to Israel, Aliyah and other topics, often with
this army base in the north of Israel. Suddenly an officer shouted, “English!” beautiful photographic presentations. For-
Immediately the music started, and the A soldier from America stood at atten- merly the head of social media at Nefesh
soldiers all marched in, unit by unit, tion and translated, “I have no other B’Nefesh, Laura is the director of marketing
grinning broadly. country!” at Shavei Israel and a marketing consultant.

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