Views
10 | JANUARY 23 • 2020
as ammunition choice, optimal
shooting methods and ballistic
trajectories. My friends and I
who were shooting instructors
learned to successfully fire tank
shells at targets from more than
a mile away. Day in and day
out, I witnessed the astounding
capabilities of my fellow female
instructors and their physical
and mental strength.
Just as instructors are
tested and then placed, the
capabilities of male recruits
are also assessed. A soldier
who is fit may be selected as a
loader, while a less imposing
soldier who scores highly in
psychotechnical tests is more
likely to be a gunner. Being a
man doesn’
t guarantee that he
is physically fit enough to load
shells into cannons. Why is the
Armored Corps discriminating
by gender, instead of selecting
the most qualified individuals
who can do the job properly?
The Armored Corps today
no longer enjoys the elite status
that it did during the Six Day
War and Yom Kippur War era.
The 188th “Barak” Brigade
achieved both lightening suc-
cesses during the Six Day War
and devastating loses on the
Golan Heights in 1973. The
shooters and commanders
entrusted to me became the
backbone of today’
s 188th. The
resistance to integrating women
seems to be an issue of institu-
tional ego. Maybe the Armored
Corps is nervous that doing
so will undermine the “macho
male image” that the unit is
trying to project to bolster its
current reputation. The notori-
ously poor conditions found at
its training base, coupled with
the role of tanks in today’
s war-
fare and the Armored Corp’
s
more lenient physical standards
all contribute to its current less-
than-stellar standing in the IDF
pecking order.
By raising the bar and
requiring higher standards and
a more competitive screening
process open to all – especially
women, the IDF can recruit
more motivated, passionate,
and talented recruits. When
the pilot relaunches later this
year, hopefully the IDF will set
aside male ego issues and put
forward the resources needed
to restore the Armored Corps
to elite status.
Stephanie Horwitz, originally from
West Bloomfield, served in the IDF
as a tank instructor from 2013-2015.
She lives in Tel Aviv and works as
the Value Creation manager of SAP
.
iO Foundry Tel Aviv, SAP’
s strategic
business unit that focuses on start-
up engagement and innovation.
ly” through its Community for
a Lifetime Program.
Government and business
are key in determining the
needs of disabled persons. But,
individuals with difficulties
know what they need, and their
input would be an asset in the
development of a friendly envi-
ronment.
Cities like Denver, Seattle
and Jackson, Mich., and others
worldwide have developed and
instituted friendly programs.
These cities concluded that
people with disabilities want to
be accepted and treated as “peo-
ple.
” They want it now.
Barry Kaufman lives in West Bloomfield
and is retired from Blue Cross Blue
Shield. He is a Lewy-Body Dementia
patient and spokesman and has par-
ticipated in LBD research with National
Institutes of Health and the University
of Michigan.
FRIENDLY COMMUNITY continued from page 6
IDF continued from page 8
OUR JN MISSION: We aspire to communicate news and opinion that’
s trusted, valued, engaging
and distinctive. We strive to refl
ect diverse community viewpoints while also advocating
positions that strengthen Jewish unity and continuity. As an independent, responsible,
responsive community member, we actively engage with individuals and organizations
dedicated to enhancing the quality of life, and Jewish life, in Southeast Michigan.
Detroit Jewish News | 29200 Northwestern Highway, Suite 110 | Southfi
eld, MI 48034
DEPARTMENTS
General Offi
ces: 248-354-6060
Advertising: 248-351-5129
Circulation: subscriptions@renmedia.us
Classifi
ed Ads: 248-351-5116 / 248-234-9057
Advertising Deadline: Friday, 11am
Editorial Fax: 248-304-8885
SUBSCRIPTIONS:
1 year
$85
2 years
$153
3 years
$204
1 year out-of-state $125
2 years out-of-state $2
25
Online only $36
Contact Us
NEWS UPDATES
Watch videos and read the latest
news about Metro Detroit’
s Jewish
community. thejewishnews.com
MANAGE YOUR SUBSCRIPTION
Renew your subscription, change
your postal or email address,
forward for your vacation, report
a missed delivery. thejewishnews.
com/my-account
LIFE-CYCLE ANNOUNCEMENTS
Submit your life-cycle
announcement, as well
as obituaries — and learn
about deadlines and fees.
thejewishnews.com/lifecycle-
announcements
COMMUNITY EVENTS
Submit your community events
for the JN calendar and fi
nd
deadline information.
thejewishnews.com/calendar
ADVERTISE
Connect with the JN sales team.
thejewishnews.com/advertise
SUBMIT STORY IDEAS/
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Share your news or ideas.
thejewishnews.com/contact
READ THE ONLINE EDITION
Read the weekly online version
of the JN print edition with a
subscription. thejewishnews.com/
web-edition
SIGN UP FOR NEWSLETTER
Sign up for our daily or
weekly email newsletter.
thejewishnews.com/newsletter
LOCATIONS SELLING
COPIES OF THE JN
Visit thejewishnews.com/where-
to-buy for a list of stores and
boxes.
BACK ISSUES OF THE JN
The Detroit Jewish News
Foundation’
s William Davidson
Archive of Jewish Detroit History
contains more than 330,000
pages of content — spanning
more than 100 years — from the
Jewish News and its predecessor
publication. It is fast, free and
accessible via djnfoundation.org
Visit the
JN website
www.thejewishnews.com