LIFE IN ISRAEL BRENT R. SOLOMON, C.P.A. Masters in Taxation 29 7 7 7 Telegraph Suite 2500 Southfield, MI 48034 358.3130 DRIVE-IN CELLULAR sales • service • installation Now Open ! mohiltronics gime mobiltronics Sat. 9:30 am-1:30 pmj west • 111 . east 31051 Stephenson, 32825 Northwestern, Madison Hts. Farmington Hills Just North of 13 Mile Just South of 14 Mile 585-4520 GET SMART 626-8480 GET CELLNET World Zion ist Press Service WHEN YOUR LOO An Israeli air force unit. The military had no insignia until a soldier failed to recognize his commander. The IDF: A Fighting Force With Egalitarian Beginnings JACQUELINE HAHN erusalem — The in- formality which is an Israeli trademark often takes visitors by surprise. In- deed, even official IDF ceremonies generally lack military pomp. On casual in- spection, for instance, there is little difference between the "brass" on the uniform of an active general and that of a lieutenant in the reserves. Appearances aside, there is a unique history behind Israeli military emblems. Before the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, the underground Hagana was responsible for the defense of the country's young settle- ments. It had only about 1,500 full time soldiers and rank was granted on the basis of merit, irrespective of time in active service or previous rank. The Hagana had a for- mal command structure up to the brigade level, with members generally serving close to home. Because most of its members knew each other by name and rank, out- ward insignia seemed irrele- vant. In addition, uniforms generally came from the home: those who had served in the British Army wore British uniforms, while those who had served in the French Foreign Legion dressed accordingly. But shortly before in- dependence, there was a massive influx of survivors from Europe. Almost over- night the Hagana's intimate character changed. In fact, the formal insignia in the Hagana were created only shortly before the War of In- dependence, following an in- cident in which a soldier fail- j 30598 Southfiel • (at 13 Mile) LOOK TO Southfield 642 - 4672 Open FVenings BEFORE AFTER CUSTOM DESIGNED FOR RESIDENTIAL OR COMMERCIAL — AT AFFORDABLE PRICES • Free In-Home Estimates • Closetmaid® Ventilated Shelving • Formica Modular Systems • Expert, Durable Installation • Self-Install Option 5550 Drake Rd., W. Bloomfield ( Between Maple & Walnut Lk. Rds. ) 44)MARCH 25:1988 • 10 Yr. Closetmaid® Warranty • Organizing Accessories • Ella® Basket Systems • In-Store Closet Displays • Excellent Service MORE SPACE 661 - 4900 ed to recognize his battalion commander, Chaim Laskov. Laskov, later to become IDF chief-of-staff, reported the in- cident to his superiors and steps were promptly taken to rectify the situation. With the country still under British rule, it was logical that their insignia would serve as the Hagana's model. In the beginning, however, commanders and of- ficers of all ranks were given small bands of blue ribbon to wear on their epaulets. This was the first distinguishing mark to be worn in the IDF. Still, the uniforms remained a hodgepodge of various foreign armies. The first attempt to stan- dardize IDF uniforms came during the siege of Jerusalem in 1948. During the fighting, the fledgeling army managed to capture from the Arabs a warehouse stocked with British uniforms. To distinguish itself, the IDF had its own unique hat which bore a slight resemblance to the French Foreign Legion's hat, the kepi. When the state was established, the IDF began to formalize its structure. The ground forces and the air force based their ranks on the British model, but establish- ed fewer ranks in the higher echelons. The officer's ranks for the ground forces includ- ed second lieutenant (single shoulder bar), lieutenant (two shoulder bars), captain (three shoulder bars), major (single fig leaf), colonel (two fig leaves), general (three fig leaves) and lieutenant general (fig leaf surrounded by olive branch). At the time, it was decided that all those who had held the rank of platoon com- mander in the Hagana would hold the rank of captain in the IDF. But Israel's first prime minister, David Ben- Gurion, who wanted to en- sure a Jewish character in the IDF, was not willing to adopt the English names for the ranks. A Hebrew purist, Ben- Gurion called in some of the greatest Hebrew Literary figures, including Natan Alterman and Avraham Shlonsky, and asked them to give Hebrew names to the ground forces ranks. The Bi- ble became the main inspira- tion and thus, the modern Israeli army adopted many of the same military ranks which appear there, including seren (captain) and aluf (general). The IDF underwent tremendous changes in its first decade. Progressing from a clandestine underground to an established army, it not only had to defend the im- periled nation's borders, but also absorb tens of thousands of new immigrants and create social, educational and military infrastructures. The IDF was compelled to revise its concept of dress and discipline. This period, known as the "great change," saw the addition of the ranks of col- onel and general as well as numerous changes in the ranks of noncoms. The air force adopted the same ranks and insignia as the ground forces, using silver on a blue background as distinguished from the ground force's brass on red. The navy, which had previously used the U.S. Navy's ranks and insignia, chose to adopt the same in- signia as the rest of the IDF,