Recognizing Lone Soldiers

Today is Remembrance Day in Canada and Veterans Day in the US. Both are times to appreciate those who have honorably fought in the name of our countries in defense of the values we hold dear. I recently lost my grandfather, who was a proud Air Force veteran. He was my first hero and his example remains in my head and heart wherever I go and whatever I do. Perhaps I’ll write more about that another time.

For now, with Israel facing so many threats, I can’t help but think at this time of year of those bravely serving in the IDF, safeguarding the values of the Jewish Nation from the evils of Hamas and others. I especially can’t help but think about lone soldiers who leave their countries and their families to join the IDF. Sometimes they do so without even having a full command of the Hebrew language. This act is, in many ways, the greatest thing one could give to Israel and it is something that few are able to do for a variety of perfectly understandable reasons.

Alone With God puts readers in the shoes of religious lone soldier Gabi Katz - a native of South Africa who was raised in Skokie, Illinois. Following his formative years at Hillel Torah and then Ida Crown Jewish Academy, he studied at Yeshivat HaKotel before enlisting in the IDF. The book is an abridged version of the journal that he kept throughout his army service. It chronicles not only his day-to-day activities, but also his Torah thoughts throughout that time. In the Introduction, Gabi describes how

“the army was not the goal in and of itself; the final goal was what was accomplished personally and communally through every day in the army, and how I was molded into a different individual… The mitzvah as a whole of being in the army is significant — but every moment had importance to it. Each day had its own value, and I couldn’t have gotten through, and become who I am, without every single one of them. The end is not here yet, but I use the skills I gained, which led to a greater sense of caring for Am Yisrael, in what I do every day.”

Though Gabi now has rabbinic ordination from Mizrachi, works as a fundraising associate for Aish HaTorah, and runs programming at HaKotel, his connection with the IDF (both figuratively and literally) stayed strong. In fact, the book’s preface was written while he was serving in reserve duty:

“I’m currently serving in miluim, the IDF reserves, protecting the northern border. But as much as the physical protection is needed, so is the spiritual. People want to feel connected, people want to hear the inside scoop, and people want to feel inspired… The physical experience might be different, but the mental and spiritual experiences of now and five years ago are very similar. I hope you will enjoy the insight into my experience as a lone soldier in the IDF and that you will find meaning to take into your own life.”

That last part is what I want to focus on in this brief piece. The book succeeds, in the words of Rabbi Yehoshua Fass of Nefesh B’Nefesh, in providing “a deep insight into the challenges and experiences of making Aliyah and serving in the IDF as a religious soldier, balancing one’s religious beliefs with the strong demands of military life.” But the book also succeeds in showcasing what sort of person it takes to make that decision and to uproot their life in order to see it through. The level of commitment, of both emunah and bitachon, is simply astounding and is not something that can (or should) be expected of everyone.

What, then, does a book like this provide? Insight into how we operate as human beings. Insight into what drives us to stand up for what we believe in and what shows us both that which we are willing to live for and (more importantly, in the words of Rav Noach Weinberg) that which we are willing to die for. To become a lone soldier takes not only courage but also a clarity and passion that is crystal clear. Something that most can only strive towards on particular occasions. What would it look like to have such clarity and strength in our own decisions? To stand up for our values and for the Jewish people wherever we may be? What would it look like for the global Jewish people to real treat ourselves like Hashem’s army in service of redeeming the world and being a Light unto the Nations? In reading Gabi’s journal, we can all find guidance in those regards.

Let’s all take a moment today to thank those we know who have dedicated themselves to protecting their countries and the values for which they stand.