world Combat training officer Lt. Mikey Soclof 111 Life Lessons Cara Dorris Jerusalem Post M odern Orthodox combat train- ing officer Lt. Mikey Soclof slumped against the bus seat one Friday afternoon, relishing his first free moment in weeks, as he tried to call two of his friends before Shabbat. "Obviously practicing religion as a soldier is difficult. My free time often comes in contact with what I'm doing in the army," Soclof said in a recent inter- view. Twenty-two-year-old Soclof — who made aliyah from Ann Arbor — had just finished training a group of new immi- grants in a two-week crash course. As a combat training officer, Soclof recruits soldiers, leads them through boot camp and then assigns them as drivers, gunners or loaders in the Armored Corps. He is responsible for 36 soldiers, three tank commanders and a sergeant. Being an elite officer has always demanded more than the standard amount of work. Officers are known to work long hours, organize activities and sit through late meetings. They are the first to wake up and the last to go to sleep. It is even harder when you are religiously observant. "Israel is less religious than it is secu- lar. The first time you see that is in the army. All of a sudden, instead of your whole community practicing kosher, it's maybe three or four guys. Usually you can't even get the 10 people you need for a regular prayer service," Soclof said. Like many Orthodox soldiers, Soclof strives to reconcile religion with the rig- ors of protecting the nation. "If someone needs to go to the hospi- tal, it is OK to drive on Shabbat. In the army, it's the same thing. Turning on my tank — something that is forbidden on Saturday — is OK to me because it's for the purpose of defending my country," Soclof said. "I've come to the conclusion that people's lives are more important than always keeping Shabbat." Coming from a tiny Jewish commu- nity, Soclof is used to adapting when it comes to Judaism. As a child, his family would drive miles to the nearest kosher supermarket. He commuted 45 minutes every weekday to attend Frankel Jewish Academy in West Bloomfield. Still, the army does what it can to sup- port religious soldiers, giving them time to pray in the morning and afternoon, and making sure every kitchen is kosher BRINGING BACK THAT NEW CAR FEELING Complete Detail Ultra Detail and More 11CRC and inspected by a rabbi in uniform. Even so, it isn't always easy. "When it's four in the morning and you're crawling in the mud and freezing rain with a lot of weight on your back, you're not going to think about how great it is you're defending your country. Because you're a person. You might start to give up:' he said. That is why Soclof teaches his combat soldiers the most important thing is strong connections with fellow soldiers. "They will bring you back up and make sure you keep going. Not everyone is broken at the same time." The combat training officer says he has learned discipline and time manage- ment and, thanks to his service, he is the fittest he's ever been in his life. "I knew coming out of high school that if I wanted to influence something, I had to be active. I didn't feel comfort- able speaking about Israel in the States before actually joining the army. After all, I could have protested what Israel is doing; I could have studied political science; I even could have become an ambassador to America: Soclof said. "But I'm a Jewish person, and I believed I needed to join the army to keep Israel safe." ❑ Wine Tasting Tour At Aish HaTorah An array of award-winning wines from Israel will be served at Aish HaTorah in Oak Park on Monday, Aug. 12, from 7-9 p.m. Special guests at the "Wine Tasting Tour" will be Dorit Ben-Simon from the Carmel Winery and Simon Levin from Royal Wine Corp. The evening includes light refreshments along with a complimentary wine gift. The event co-chairs are Neil Schloss and Sandy Rosen. Cost is $100 per couple to benefit the Aish HaTorah High Holiday scholarship fund. Also, 10 percent of wine purchas- es at the event will benefit Aish. To RSVP, call (248) 327-3579 or email simchat@aish.com . lay'silutoDetaingLe 'Where Quality Meets Perfection' Everyday Cars, Sports Cars, Luxury Cars, Classic Cars, New Cars, SUV's, Bikes and MORE! Jason Shenker, owner NEW Car Protection Packages Courtesy IDF CourCour IDF combat officer from Ann Arbor works to keep Israel safe. 3611 12 Mile Rd., Berkley, Ml 48072 www.jaysautodetail.com Jaysautodetail@gmail.com (248) 302-4988 $20 OFF COMPLETE DETAIL – meeting all your vehicle needs Expert mechanic work & painting • (248) 548-8740 JEWELERS 411 .1 Turn your old GOLD into CASH! We will buy ALL of your precious metals, diamonds & watches. Come see us Today. Keep your company top of mind with our readers. 32940 Middlebelt Rd. ADVERTISE WITH US! CALL 248.351.5107 (248) 855-1730 Visit theJEWISHNEWS.com (At 14 Mile Rd. in the Broadway Plaza) Farmington Hills, Michigan www.greis.com JN August 1 • 2013 23