OCTOBER 28 • 2021 | 11

my timeline, contrasting my 
perennial studenthood’s free-
dom, comforts and indul-
gences with your challenging, 
if hopefully fulfilling, road 
ahead. My head lists all the 
ways soldiering builds char-
acter, but my heart hurts that 
we still need soldiers at all 
— let alone how desperately 
we need smart, effective, ide-
alistic soldiers like you. And 
I, probably more than you, 
keenly feel your sacrifice in 
temporarily suspending your 
autonomy to protect us all.
Ultimately, sidelining 
history, autobiography and 
ideology, I try looking at 
you from your perspective.
You have an advantage. 
Because enlistment feels so 
natural to you, you’re far 
more prepared for whatever 
will come than any of us 
middle-aged immigrants 
could be. With your great 
attitude, and your network 
of friends and siblings who 
have seen it all before, I am 
confident you will thrive.
So rather than regretting 
what could have been if you 
were going to college now, 
I am excited for all you can 
learn and grow and benefit 
from serving your people.
And unlike most friends 
abroad, I don’t ask “how 
long will you serve?” as 
if it’s a prison sentence; I 
join other Israelis in asking 
“where will you serve” — 
because it’s a privilege and 
an opportunity.
On Shabbat, when your 
siblings toasted you, they 
vowed: “We’ve got your 
back.” They wisely advised: 
“Remember the little things 
— be kind, help your com-
rades, the day-to-day is 
key.” Finally, they empha-
sized how important your 

service is, how the State of 
Israel needs you.
I was moved by their 
pitch-perfect balance 
between the personal and 
communal, the particu-
lar and the universal, the 
ephemeral and the eternal, 
the meaningful.
Before that, you cele-
brated your last week of 
civilian freedom by walk-
ing with two friends mi’yam 
l’yam, 80 kilometers from 
the Mediterranean Sea 
to the Sea of Galilee. As 
you went off, carrying a 
backpack the size of New 
Jersey on your back, with 
your usual smile on your 
lips, I harbored a dad’s 
fears about three young 
women wandering Israel’s 
backwoods. But I also had 
a parent’s pride in your 
self-confidence, skill, resil-
ience and range — know-
ing you’d be as comfortable 
sleeping under the stars as 
you would be in a five-star 
hotel (or cushy university 
dorm).
And that’s what I’m feel-
ing this week as you begin 
basic training: Whatever 
worries I have fade away as 
I trust the person you are 
— and consider your sacred 
mission ahead. We are so 
lucky to have heroes like 
you looking out for slackers 
like me.
Love,
Abba 

The writer is a distinguished schol-

ar of North American history at 

McGill University and the author 

of nine books on American history 

and three on Zionism. His book 

Never Alone: Prison, Politics and 

My People, coauthored with Natan 

Sharansky, was published by Public 

Affairs of Hachette. This essay was 

first published on the Jerusalem Post.

No filters here, it’s 
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