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

