NORMAN GLASERHuntington, West VirginiaWhen the IDF says no to a sonSir, – I am writing on behalf of other Israeli mothers who have either been in my shoes or now have tired feet from walking a very long and very lonely road.I am a native Canadian who moved to Israel over thirty years ago. With great pride, my daughter served in the IDF in the air force’s entertainment corps.My son was scheduled, in two weeks’ time, to enter the Israel Navy’s submarine corps.After a battery of tests, intensive four-day training, and hours of psychological and physical examinations he was accepted into the corps.Last week, just three weeks shy of my son’s enlistment date, he underwent a high-profile security check at Tel Hashomer under the auspices of the navy.At the end of a long and gruelling day, he was told that he had to undergo a polygraph, to which of course he agreed. He was told that, due to unforeseen administrative problems and a long wait, his enlistment date would be postponed until April, 2011 – seven months later than originally planned.My son was prepared to give up all hopes of entering the navy and begged to be enlisted into any available unit in October.The response was negative, and he was told that April, 2011, was his only option.However, “if he was able to somehow manage to get his name to the top of the list in the polygraph admissions pile, then he could undergo a polygraph as early as this week and be enlisted on October 10 as planned.”And so it begins. Here is where not only the child but also the mother learn the true meaning of the word “protekzia.”After a whirlwind of e-mails and faxes and phone calls to the navy, Tel Hashomer recruiting offices, friends, neighbors and countrymen, I am, sadly, still in front of my computer, wondering where I went wrong.Not knowing where to turn, shameful of my lame Hebrew vocabulary, I write this letter in the hope that readers can give me advice.Two years ago, we had the opportunity of returning to Canada, and it was my son who stopped me in my tracks. In his own words: “Mom, I’m going to the army. I want to serve my country. Don’t take that away from me.”The Israeli Navy and the submarine corps, who selected my son from amongst hundreds of candidates, should be ashamed of their actions during this last week.If indeed there is a voice, then let it be my son’s and not mine.He is proud to serve. He is willing to serve.ROSE WOLFEHod Hasharonrose.wolfe04@gmail.com
October 6: Zionism and moral excellence, revisited
The word “occupation” is full of the most problematic associations and it cannot be used in connection with the Israel-Palestinian dispute.
NORMAN GLASERHuntington, West VirginiaWhen the IDF says no to a sonSir, – I am writing on behalf of other Israeli mothers who have either been in my shoes or now have tired feet from walking a very long and very lonely road.I am a native Canadian who moved to Israel over thirty years ago. With great pride, my daughter served in the IDF in the air force’s entertainment corps.My son was scheduled, in two weeks’ time, to enter the Israel Navy’s submarine corps.After a battery of tests, intensive four-day training, and hours of psychological and physical examinations he was accepted into the corps.Last week, just three weeks shy of my son’s enlistment date, he underwent a high-profile security check at Tel Hashomer under the auspices of the navy.At the end of a long and gruelling day, he was told that he had to undergo a polygraph, to which of course he agreed. He was told that, due to unforeseen administrative problems and a long wait, his enlistment date would be postponed until April, 2011 – seven months later than originally planned.My son was prepared to give up all hopes of entering the navy and begged to be enlisted into any available unit in October.The response was negative, and he was told that April, 2011, was his only option.However, “if he was able to somehow manage to get his name to the top of the list in the polygraph admissions pile, then he could undergo a polygraph as early as this week and be enlisted on October 10 as planned.”And so it begins. Here is where not only the child but also the mother learn the true meaning of the word “protekzia.”After a whirlwind of e-mails and faxes and phone calls to the navy, Tel Hashomer recruiting offices, friends, neighbors and countrymen, I am, sadly, still in front of my computer, wondering where I went wrong.Not knowing where to turn, shameful of my lame Hebrew vocabulary, I write this letter in the hope that readers can give me advice.Two years ago, we had the opportunity of returning to Canada, and it was my son who stopped me in my tracks. In his own words: “Mom, I’m going to the army. I want to serve my country. Don’t take that away from me.”The Israeli Navy and the submarine corps, who selected my son from amongst hundreds of candidates, should be ashamed of their actions during this last week.If indeed there is a voice, then let it be my son’s and not mine.He is proud to serve. He is willing to serve.ROSE WOLFEHod Hasharonrose.wolfe04@gmail.com