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MATAAN LIS

AGE 23
FARMINGTON HILLS
STARTED HIS SERVICE IN
NOVEMBER 2015

A first-hand account of the
extraordinary rescue of 1.5 million Jews

“I

n 1979 we decided to leave Kharkov, Ukrainian SSR.

We quit our jobs and sold everything. Then we were

denied exit visas. We reapplied every six months for 10 years

and each time we were denied. We couldn’t work during this

time because no one would hire people who were trying to flee.

Finally, in 1989, thanks to Operation Exodus, we came to Detroit.

JFS helped us rent an apartment, get furniture, and buy food.

They gave us jobs. Really, JFS gave us a new life.”

— Anna Torman

MISSION POSSIBLE

With an Israeli dad and American
mom, Mataan Lis always has found
Israel to be his second home. A
dual citizen of the U.S. and Israel,
fluent in both Hebrew and Arabic,
Mataan took a studied approach and
very rigorous route to his service in
the military, starting the process of
enlisting last July.
“Actually, Mataan began working
on his goal to join the IDF years
ago,” observes his mother, Lisa Lis.
“He researched all of his options,
graduated from the University of
Michigan with a B.A. in Middle
Eastern studies and moved to Israel
last May as a returning citizen.”
Mataan Lis
Because of his qualifications —
and his maturity (enlisting at the
to,” he says. “I didn’t have that summer
age of most officers), Mataan earned
camp experience, never belonged to a
his place among an elite group of sol-
fraternity and went off to college when
diers in a special operations unit. “It
I was older. While all four of our chil-
took very rigorous training to get into
dren have Israeli citizenship, Mataan
that unit,” observes Lisa, “but Mataan
is the first to live as an adult in Israel.
is physically and mentally fit, a very
While it’s true that I would have liked
strong, independent person. He will
be in service as a regular Israeli soldier for him to have put himself at less of
a risk, I understand and respect his
for the full three years and live in an
choice. Lisa and I are extremely proud
apartment we maintain in Tel Aviv.”
to be his parents.”
Born and raised in Israel, Hannan
Lis feels a special connection to his
son now that he is in the service. “This Vivian Henoch is editor of MyJewishDetroit.org,
where this story first appeared.
is one rite of passage that I can relate

*

By The Numbers

Jewish Family Service
Annual Meeting

The Israeli government does not disclose information on the overall size of the
IDF, or the identity, location and strength of units. But, according to estimates,
Israel has one of the largest number of Americans serving in its military today,
with roughly 1,800 enlisted Americans who did not grow up there. In total, there
are an estimated 6,000 non-Israeli-born troops in the IDF from 70 countries.
According to estimates last year, 70 percent of the Lone Soldier troops are
men, 30 percent women; about 31 percent train as combat soldiers; 26 percent
serve in combat support roles and 43 percent serve in non-combat units.
Jewish Detroit’s Lone Soldiers are not alone. The main organization supporting
them is Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF). Their Lone Soldiers Program
is helping them with the challenges they face as they embark on their journey,
following these soldiers throughout their military service and providing a vast
array of assistance. FIDF’s Detroit Chapter has an open-door policy and close
connection with local family members and with their sons and daughters who
are serving in the IDF, making sure these brave heroes never feel truly alone.
Our community Lone Soldiers also have connections here in Detroit and in
Israel through activities organized by the Detroit Federation and the Central-
Galilee Partnership2Gether Region. For more information and ways you can help
connect, contact Yoav Raban, raban@jfmd.org.

An unforgettable evening with

Natan Sharansky and

Marvin Lender
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Tuesday, May 17, 2016
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For registration and sponsorship information, visit
jfsannualmeeting.org or call 248-592-2339 by May 6.

On Tuesday, May 10, the Jewish community of Metro Detroit will gather to
observe Yom HaZikaron, Israel’s National Memorial Day, in a ceremony at 6
p.m. at the Berman Center for the Performing Arts in West Bloomfield.

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28 May 5 • 2016