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A20

January 17 • 2008

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Brighton, MI 48116

ast Thursday was a busy
day for Rabbi Lee Buckman,
head of the Frankel Jewish
Academy (FJA). First he completed the
31st annual Tiberias Marathon, then
he drove to Hadera to see his son Ilan
participate in an Israel
Defense Forces training
ceremony. And he had just
arrived in Israel the after-
noon before — so much
for jet lag.
"I was fortunate to
be there; it just worked
out coincidentally?' said
Buckman, who was in
Rabbi
Israel for a program that
Buckman
started the next day that
introduces high school
counselors from Jewish schools to
Israel's five universities and various
gap-year programs (see adjacent story).
"It was very special to run the mara-
thon and hear people on the street call
out, Tol hakavod!' (all the strength!)
as we ran by. Schoolchildren lined the
streets at recess and cheered us on?'
Though he was proud of himself for
finishing the marathon — only his sec-
ond — he was even more proud of Ilan.
"It was emotional listening to every-
one sing `Hatilcvah' at the ceremony?' he
said. "I was particularly proud of him
for doing something real to help Israel?'
Ilan, 19, graduated from FJA last year

and is one of about 15 or so graduates
who elected to spend time in Israel
rather than follow the traditional
route to college. Ilan volunteered for
the IDF in a 11/2-year program that
does not require aliyah. The ceremony
came after he completed two grueling
marches. The first was 40 kilometers;
the second was a 12-hour, 50k-trek that
included carrying people on stretchers
part of the way.
"I've been interested in the
army for a long time Than said.
"I told myself if I didn't do it, I'd
regret it?'
So he started training to be
an infantry soldier six months
ago. As of last week, he has
earned his green beret.
"It's definitely hard — there's
no sleep, lots of pressure he
said. "You need mental tough-
ness. Every single day, every
minute has a special purpose.
You are always busy. It's eight months of
nonstop training?'
Ilan says he is not anticipating serv-
ing during wartime, but that "the infan-
try soldier is ready for anything?' He
has stood guard on the Jordanian bor-
der, but is unsure what lies ahead after
he finishes training in another month.
"I have met really great people from
all different backgrounds?' he said. "We
are fighting for the same thing. It makes
it easier to get along because were all
connected?'
He was thrilled his father, as well as a
fellow FJA classmate and a camp friend,
could attend the ceremony.

❑