My Profile (finally) and my fight for Yom Sayarot

Finally finally finally I have received my profile...a 97!! Happiness doesn't quite describe the feeling. On Sunday I made my way, along with another guy from the garin, back to the Lishkat Giyus in Tiberias. After a two and a half hour wait I was called in to see the cardiologist. By the way, during my long wait I felt very old, surrounded by 16 year old Israelis all going for their Tzav Rishon. It hit home how, though the 16 year olds might not realise it, they are given such big responsibilities at such a young age.

I was given an ECG test and the cardiologist listened to my heart and took my blood pressure. Again, the blood pressure was high, however I had come armed with papers from a cardiologist in the UK explaining that all was fine with my heart. Without delay, the Israeli cardiologist pronounced my heart fit for full service and gave me a 97 profile. I couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief and smiled a huge grin. After all that, all the frustration of the last two weeks, I was given a top profile.

As mentioned in the previous post, the army saw fit to send me to Michve Alon in December. Although I could retake the Hebrew test in November, it would mean that even with a 97 profile I could still not be allowed to do Yom Sayarot, the tests for the elite units. The army do not allow those who need to go to Michve to try out for the special units. However, I pushed and I pushed and I pushed. In the end, having written a letter to the army explaining my motivation, I received my official summons to Yom Sayarot. This is not something I take for granted; I have fought for this and I will give my all to the tests. My thanks go to Garin Tzabar and my Mashakiot (soldiers with our garin) for helping me so much along the way.

My official summons to Yom Sayarot

I have been dreaming of this opportunity for years, and now it's here. Next week are the tests, and they will be grueling physical tests. They are a day or two full of sprints up sand dunes, crawling, sprints with weights, and group exercises. At the end of the tests, if you succeed you could be asked to come back and test for specific special forces units in their own gibbushim. There are gibbushim for Shayetet 13, Sayeret Matkal, and each have offshoots for units like Shaldag, Unit 669 etc. However, even finishing Yom Sayarot is an achievement. Many people have given me often conflicting advice on Yom Sayarot. However, all I can do is give my absolute all. In the end, this is a chance to serve my country at some of the highest levels. Will let you know how it goes! Until then, I'm resting up and preparing.

Here goes....

More results from the Tzav Rishon...Kaba, Dapar, Michve Alon, and finding strength in frustration

This week I have found out three very important results from my Tzav Rishon. The first two were my Kaba and Dapar. The Kaba is your "personal classification" score and the Dapar is your "intelligence" score. In the latter, I didn't do as well as I would have liked, but at least I passed the threshold required of any candidate for officers' school (if I were to want to do that one day).

My Kaba is 53 out of 56, which again is not the top but it's fairly decent and again, allows me the theoretical opportunity for officers' school in the future. To be honest, I still have no idea what the marking criteria is. But those are my scores!

Though the scores were decent, they weren't necessarily what I was hoping for (although they will have no effect on which unit I end up drafting to). Added to which, I received the utterly surprising news that according to my tests I will have to go to Michve Alon. Michve Alon is the army Ulpan - a 3 month Hebrew education programme. Though you begin your army service at the start of Michve, every single person has said that it's a waste of three months. I just don't understand why I have been officially placed there, along with half of my garin. Every guy, bar one from the garin, has been told that they have to go to Michve. Statistically this makes no sense, given the fact that in the previous garin here on Lavi for instance, only 1 out of 25 or so had to go.

Having to go to Michve also complicates things with applying for certain units. It's all a little confusing but bottom line, I am fighting with everything I have not to go there.

Coupled with the above frustrations, I have the added pressure of not yet knowing my medical profile, the crucial results from the Tzav Rishon. As I've said, I have my appointment with the cardiologist on Sunday and I will hopefully know then. 

So it's been a frustrating and sobering week to say the least. Everything seems up in the air and uncertain. However, the way I see it, at least I get this merit to feel frustrated on this Aliyah journey as a lone soldier. In an ideal world of course, none of these annoyances would exist. However they do, and that's life. All I can do is work my hardest, push my hardest and give my all. Because despite the difficult uncertainties that I'm facing, I'm here and I will give my all to serve. This is my dream.

So I will carry on training hard, working hard on my Hebrew, and I will update the blog once I receive my profile.

Tzav Rishon

Just had my Tzav Rishon, and what a day it was!

We headed off early to the nearest army office in Tiberias. Having discussed and thought about this day for so long, my mind was buzzing and I was so excited. When we arrived, we waited for our first interviews and Hebrew tests (waiting was a recurring theme of the day). The interview is just a way to introduce yourself to the army so that they can draw up a profile of who you are, where you've come from etc. Within the interview I had my Hebrew test, which involved answering questions like "what do you like to do on holiday" and "why did you make Aliyah?". I then had to fill in the blanks in open-ended sentences, all of which I thought went okay. All this will determine whether or not I have to go to Michve Alon, or army Ulpan. I really hope not!

Jason and I, with our good luck cards from Alexa, another member of the Garin

Lishkat Giyus, the army office where the Tzav Rishon took place

After that I was sent to a room I wasn't meant to be sent to (fun!), and eventually found myself in the Psychtechnic exam room. This test helps builds up your profile, and will determine whether or not I can progress in rank in the army and one day become an officer, so I took it very seriously. It was a half an hour test of completing sequences of shapes under timed pressure. At the end of the first part of the test the computer said that I hadn't completed all the questions, and yet I definitely had. So after a slight inner-panic I told the soldier there what had happened and I was greeted with a smile and "it will be okay", whatever that means....Never have I been so annoyed at a smile. I just really hope it was okay! The results come out on Sunday, so we'll soon see (you get the results from https://www.aka.idf.il/main/giyus/).

After that came the medical. I had my blood pressure, my height and my weight taken and told to pee in a cup. Due to nerves and excitement, my blood pressure reading was sky high and this was immediately noted by the doctor. His first question was where I wanted to serve. I replied that I didn't know exactly but that I wanted to give my all and would love to try out for the special units. He immediately said I couldn't because of the blood pressure reading, at which I began a tirade of angry explanations. I had had this problem before with my medical for Garin Tzabar, and I had had to undergo all sorts of tests with a cardiologist, to be told that my heart was in perfect order. At this the doctor told me to calm down and threatened me with a non-combat profile. I quickly calmed down. However, despite all my notes and forms, I have been referred to an army cardiologist in a couple weeks' time. Then, having to strip naked and having my nether-regions examined by a middle-aged male doctor was no real comfort (although no problems there thankfully).

So where am I at the moment? If the cardiologist gives me the go-ahead I receive a 97 profile and can try out for the special forces units. If not, I will receive a 72 and can apply for tanks, artillery, and engineers, amongst others. Of course I am frustrated, but these things have a way of working themselves out, and whatever happens, I will be doing my very best for my country. I will be happy wherever I end up.

On a practical note, today has made me think once again about tanks. I have thought of putting tanks as my first choice for a while. They might not have the immediate prestige about them, but they are respected by all. Lochamim (fighters) in tanks work so hard, and their work is of such vital importance. I quite like the idea of a "get on with it" kind of tafkid. Added to which, progression in ranks can happen a lot faster in tanks, something that could be important to a 22 year old like me. I am thinking hard of putting tanks as my first choice, even if I receive a 97 profile. We shall see. Until then, I just need my ticker to get the all-clear (again).

Tomorrow night is Rosh Hashana and I will be with my family in Ra'anana. Saying "Shehecheyanu", thanking God for bringing us to this point, will be especially poignant for me - my first Rosh Hashana as an Israeli. I wish everybody a Shana Tova, a happy and a healthy new year.

שנה טובה

Gadna

I have just come back to the kibbutz from down south, after my week on Gadna. Gadna was set up primarily for young Israelis at about the age of 16, just before they begin their army process. It was set up to teach kids about the IDF, its roles and responsibilities. It also aims to introduce people to army life and discipline. They set aside this week especially for Garin Tzabar, to introduce us to the army we will be joining in a couple months time.

All the Garinim from across the country came to Gadna this week, and it was a lot of fun seeing the European Garin, who I hadn't seen since the seminars in the UK. 

It wasn't exactly the most challenging week - there was a lot of standing around and jogging 10 metres or so at a time. But we did go out into the field and were introduced to some of the basic skills taught to combat soldiers. All in all, I didn't take the week very seriously (none of us did) and I enjoyed being with my Garin as a tzevet, or team. 

Out in the field

That being said, it marked one more step towards my draft date. Wearing the mismatching and ill-fitting uniform reminded me that very soon I'll be wearing it for real. 

This week I have my Tzav Rishon, my first test with the army, where I will find out my profile. Will update the blog with the news....

First week as an Israeli/Countdown to my Tzav Rishon

It's strange to think that it's only been just over a week since I got here. Last Shabbat was my first as an Israeli, and it was a special feeling watching the sun setting over the hills around the Kibbutz on Friday afternoon. That Shabbat, the previous Garin had a "Shabbat Garin", where as many of them as possible got out of the army for Shabbat to spend it together on Lavi. It was interesting to hear where they all were in the army and the advice they had for us. That Shabbat, I also met a woman here who knew my Booba and Zeida (grandma and grandpa). She almost began to cry when she heard my surname! It was they who had persuaded her to settle on Kibbutz Lavi. There's a certain historical circularity about it, as my Booba and Zeida were connected with the Kibbutz (see "The Interview, the Kibbutz and Historical Circularity").

The following day was full of bureaucratic necessities, and that day I received my Teudat Zehut (ID card). I even got a nice message from the woman who sorted my papers.

Later on in the week we had a Hebrew test, which will determine which Ulpan class we'll be placed in. I feel like it went well, but we shall see! I'm working hard on my Hebrew at the moment, and taking advantage of the time I have. Whatever happens, I do NOT want to go to Michve Alon, the army Ulpan.

Today we spent the morning working in the fields on the kibbutz. For the first time since I arrived, I had time to think as I worked. Looking out towards the hills, I realised I'm actually here, I made it. After 4 years of expecting and planning, I'm actually here. 

Of course I miss my family a lot but we still find ways to keep in constant contact!

Next week all of Garin Tzabar will be making their way down south for Gadna. Gadna is there to give Israelis a taste of army life. It will be weird going back, because I was there 4 years ago on Marva, a similar two month course, but judging from Marva it won't be taken too seriously and will be a lot of fun!

We now have our date for our Tzav Rishon, just before Rosh Hashana, the week after Gadna. The Tzav Rishon is the most important army test, and will determine where I can and can not serve. It's a day comprised of a medical, an interview, psychological and psychometric tests. The interview will ascertain my Hebrew level, so the countdown begins to improve my Hebrew as much as possible!

Will update the blog next with the fun happenings of Gadna!

My New Home

The pasts two days have been mad to say the least - I have made Aliyah, given a speech to hundreds of people, met my new Garin and moved into my new home on Kibbutz Lavi. Here are the details.

So Tuesday night I landed in Israel. I can't explain the feeling of seeing the lights of Tel Aviv in the distance as we approached the airport. There is no feeling like it. I could just imagine generations and generations of Olim catching that first glimpse of Israel. What a feeling.

After landing, I went to fill in paperwork (which took hours and hours) and was lucky enough to have a little welcoming party waiting for me! That night I stayed at my family in Ra'anana and I had to be at Tel Aviv University for the Garin Tzabar opening ceremony the next morning.

Before coming to Israel, I was asked to give a speech at the ceremony at which Prime Minister Netanyahu was supposed to be attending. He recently had an operation, so Mrs. Bibi ended up going in his place. There were all sorts of dignitaries there and it was a privilege and unbelievable honour to have been asked to speak.

At the ceremony I met my Garin for the first time. I was nervous at first because I didn't know how I would settle in. I hadn't been with them for the seminars and they already knew each other, but my nerves were pointless. I've joined a great Garin and I'm enjoying getting to know them all.

Most of the things we're doing until Rosh Hashanah are geared towards introducing us to the Kibbutz and Kibbutz life. For now, I'll be getting my bearings around my new home.

My new, humble home.

Aliyah...today is the day

The day has finally come, the day I've dreamed about and imagined since I was a boy. After all the goodbyes, my room is empty and my bags are packed. I have to say, today is an overwhelming one. It goes without saying that leaving behind loved ones and friends is not an easy thing to do. It has been the most difficult thing I have ever done.

Actions are far greater than words, so I will keep this post very brief and catch my flight. Besides, no words could do justice to how I feel on this day. But I will end with a quote from a great Zionist leader and doer. Upon the establishment of the State of Israel, David Ben-Gurion wrote to Chaim Weizmann, Israel's first President, thanking him for his tireless efforts in helping to establish the nascent State. In his response, Weizmann wrote:

"I am fully convinced that all who have and will become citizens of the Jewish State will strive their utmost to live up to the new opportunity which history has bestowed upon them."

Time to strive.