Drafting into the Israeli Army as a Lone Soldier

Brandon Halavi

Professor Clark Hansen

WRIT 340, Section 66781

Assignment #1 IDF Expert Article

You did it. You made the most difficult decision of your life. Leaving home, friends, and family to fight in a foreign army is not easy but you decided to become a part of something much bigger than yourself. All the respect! But you're probably thinking, what now? I remember exactly how you are feeling. All the adrenaline but you have no idea where to begin. You may not even speak one word of Hebrew. The purpose of this article is to guide you through the various options you have to enlist into the Israeli Defense Forces. There is no "best" option, just different options for different kinds of people.


Deciding to make Aliyah?

Aliyah is the process of obtaining Israeli Citizenship. It provides benefits ONLY if you wish to live in Israel following your service. The benefits include:

• A stipend for 18,412 NIS( New Israeli Shekel)
• Free Hebrew Ulpan Course for non-speakers
• Assistance in cost of University after service
• Reduced car tax rate
• Reduced mortgage rate
• Income Tax Break
• Foreign Tax Break

**IMPORTANT** If you make Aliyah and decide to return to your home country after your service, you lose these benefits if you again wish to return to Israel. Make sure to decide if living in Israel is something you feel confident you want to do after your service.

Option 1: Machal

Machal is a program set up by the Israeli Army to help diaspora Jews enlist for a shorter period of time. You receive Lone Soldier status which will give you more benefits than a regular soldier and does not require you to make Aliyah. 

Advantages:

• Shorter length of service: 18 months (14.5 months for native speakers) compared to 3 years for native male soldiers, and 2 years for native female soldiers
• Paid 2137 NIS/month (500 NIS more than regular soldiers)
• Subsidized housing up to 300 NIS/month
• Monthly stipend of 120 NIS in participating grocery markets
• Not required to make Aliyah
• Entitled to 30 days/year of service to return home

**Note: 1 New Israeli Shekel=0.27 US Dollar

Disadvantages:

• Flight to Israel and back home is NOT subsidized
• Must visit various Agencies and Ministries before recieving a draft date
• Must arrive in Israel 3 months before the next draft date
• Must find an apartment yourself (3 months before draft date is NOT subsidized)
• Usually alone during your service on the weekends
• Must take care of your own errands throughout your service 

I've heard many horror stories of close friends who were waiting up to even A YEAR to receive a draft date. The process includes going through several government offices, waiting in various lines, and arguing with many people. The government takes time with these sort of things so don't expect to get there and enlist right away. Keep in mind that the life of a Lone Soldier is incredibly difficult. You'll be lacking sleep, energy, and time to take care of basic necessities. Coming home on the weekends to an empty apartment that you have to clean and do laundry after a tough week is the last thing you will want to do. I recommend this path to those who are EXTREMELY independent. 

Option 2: Making Aliyah

This option is for those who made the choice to move to Israel permanently to start a new life. Once you make Aliyah you automatically receive a draft date and your length of service is determined by your age the time you land in Israel. 

Aliyah Length of Service

Age of Arrival	Single Men	Married Men	Women*
18-19	32 months	24 months	24 months
20-21	24 months	18 months	12 months
22-27	Exempt/Eligible to volunteer for a minimum of 18 months		Exempt/Eligible to volunteer for a minimum of 12 months
28 and over	Exempt/Not eligible to volunteer

Advantages:

• Receive all the Aliyah benefits listed above in the first paragraph^
• Become a part of Israeli society
• Best way to start a new life in a new country

Disadvantages:

• Once you arrive to Israel, you are bound by law to the country/the army (Basically no turning back)

If you truly wish to make Aliyah, think long and hard on the decision. Once you arrive in Israel, it will be extremely difficult to return to your home country and avoid your army service. It needs to be something you feel 100% confident in doing. 

Option 3: Garin Tzabar (Recommended!)

As someone who has done this program, it is an option I HIGHLY recommend. Garin Tzabar takes individuals around the world who wish to enlist in the Israeli Army and sets them in a group environment. You have 4 seminars to get to know the "garin" before you all fly to Israel together. You are then set up on a kibbutz (community housing) where you will all have bedrooms together and spend the weekends as a group. 

Advantages:

• Free housing and food with the group you flew to Israel with
• The program fills out all the paperwork and enlistment becomes very simple
• Housing provides basic services such as laundry and errands for free
• 3.5 month absorption period before enlisting in the army (Hebrew classes, tours around the country, etc...)
• Connections to get higher positions in the army
• Garin considered support group during tough times in the army

Disadvantages:

• Required to make Aliyah
• Regardless of age, must serve two years minimum
• Must live on the kibbutz for one year (after that it's your choice of housing)

Garin Tzabar is a program that never makes a Lone Soldier feel "alone." Its a support group, as well as a group to have a great time with. It makes the army transition process much simpler than doing it yourself through Machal. Being an infantry soldier in the army, my life was incredibly difficult. I would be running on 3-4 hours of sleep a night while barely eating any food. By the way, when I say "food" I mean canned tuna and stale bread. But what was getting me through the week is knowing that Friday morning I would be taking the bus back to my Garin to tell them all about it. To share the stories, the laughters, and even the cries.  Garin Tzabar Video

Like I said at the beginning, each option suits different people. It all comes down to what you are truly looking for in the army. In my experience in the army, I've learned that every position is honorable. Just the fact that you are leaving everything to give to a land that has given you so much is admirable. Take some time, clear your mind, and envision yourself in each one of these options. Pick the one is right for your current situation. If you feel confident then DO IT and don't look back. Behatzlakha!

Works Cited

"Friends of Israel Scouts, Inc. | Tzofim." Friends of Israel Scouts, Inc. | Tzofim. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2016.

"Garin Tzabar 2015 - Family for Life!" YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2016.

"Who Can Volunteer for the IDF?" Mahal. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2016.

"Why Move to Israel? Why Make Aliyah? | Nefesh B'Nefesh." Nefesh BNefesh. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2016.