Tuly Weisz:
Where are you from? Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Tommy:
I’m from Toronto, Canada.
Tuly Weisz:
Okay.
Tommy:
I drafted in August, 2019. I’ve been here for a year and a half and I recently finished a commanders course.
Tuly Weisz:
That’s amazing. Congratulations. Commander in the Israeli Army. Yosi, you haven’t been in quite as long, right?
Jesse:
Not as long. I drafted in March, 2020 and I went first to a Hebrew school, then I drafted to my unit essentially.
Tuly Weisz:
And you’re from, originally?
Jesse:
I’m originally from London.
Tuly Weisz:
Very nice. Very nice. What made you want to join the Israeli Army?
Jesse:
In London, I experienced a lot of anti-Semitism, and a couple of stories involve me getting chased and being shouted at, and I thought there’s a home-
Tuly Weisz:
What do they say when they’re chasing you? How old were you?
Jesse:
I would have been, I think, 14 for one of the incidents and they shouted, “Go back to Tel Aviv.”
Tuly Weisz:
Go back to Tel Aviv?
Jesse:
Proceeded to-
Tuly Weisz:
Were you from Tel Aviv?
Jesse:
Not at all.
Tuly Weisz:
You’re just Jewish.
Jesse:
I’m Jewish.
Tuly Weisz:
You’re Jewish and they’re telling you go back to Tel Aviv?
Jesse:
Yes.
Tuly Weisz:
Amazing. Terrible.
Jesse:
So yeah.
Tuly Weisz:
So you experienced anti-Semitism, and it motivated you?
Jesse:
It motivated me. There’s a home for the Jews, a place that we can protect our own. Some place that I felt an obligation, as well an honor to be here.
Tuly Weisz:
That’s awesome. That’s amazing. It is an honor to be here Israel. Yoni, what about you Yoni? What made you want to join?
Tommy:
Seeing all the anti-Semitism where I’m from growing up scared me. Seeing that no one could fully stand up for themselves.
Tuly Weisz:
Wow, yeah. And we do have to stand up for ourselves. This is their home, their apartment. They’re lone soldiers so they’re in a family in Israel and the Army provides them with a little grant and they live together. How many soldiers live in this?
Jesse:
This house? We now have nine.
Tuly Weisz:
Nine guys in this house, and they have a flag behind us. Can you see this? Want to explain what that means?
Tommy:
Sure. It’s freedom. So us being here volunteering to serve in the Army for freedom.
Tuly Weisz:
Yeah. And it’s even more than that. ADD HEBREW. What that means is that Israel really represents for the Jewish people, and the whole world, the beginning of the redemption. We’re waiting for it. We believe that by being here, we’re bringing about the Mosiach, the Messiah, and a culmination of history. God wanted us to be here but it wasn’t going to be an easy journey. Thanks to you guys, though, we’re able to live here safely, securely, and it’s really an honor. Thank you for what you do. Thank you for your service.
Tuly Weisz:
How inspiring were those two soldiers? They enlisted as volunteers in the Israeli Army. They are there for us and now is our chance to be there for them. Purim is coming up. Let’s take the opportunity to send a gift package, a Purim basket to an IDF lone soldier. Join with Israel365 and let’s send Purim baskets, and bring some holiday cheer to the Israeli soldiers.