My Son, the Soldier

From the moment my son was born, I knew that this day would come but it’s still a shock to realise that Binyamin has reached this milestone. Last Thursday he began his mandatory three years of army service. (He’s actually in the air force, which is why he has a beige uniform with a blue belt.)

There wasn’t a ceremony, just hugs and goodbyes. We took an early bus to Ammunition Hill and arrived at 7:30 a.m. on a cold, windy day.

His girlfriend Ayala and his friend Ori came along.

Binyamin giving his name to the receptionist.

The lady giving out candies is a volunteer for an organization that helps soldiers. They do a lot of good work, especially for “lone soldiers” who do not have family in the country or who come from broken homes.

Here’s our final view of Binyamin, leaving to join the other recruits. They boarded another bus to go to “Bakum” (absorption and assignment center) at Tel haShomer, where they received their vaccinations, were issued uniforms, kit bags, etc., and gave DNA samples and dental impressions. Sometimes the process can take a while, especially if a soldier is not happy with the assignment. In Binyamin’s case, he already had a placement, so he didn’t stay very long.

He was gone for most of the day and returned in the evening in his squeaky new uniform (first photo above) for Shabbat. This morning he left early to begin his basic training in the south.