New Shoes for the New Year?!?

After a particularly difficult week in the army we were finally given vouchers which we were meant to get almost two months ago, which partially cover the cost of running shoes. How partially you ask? Well like most things in the army, things are not that simple. Here's how it works: You discount the first 280 Shekels of the army price. Then you take 47.2% off the remaining total. Exactly 47.2%.That's right. Why 47.2? Because.

The army gives you everything that you need (except for winter coats, gloves, hats, hydration gear, shoe polish, and can openers), but not a bit more. For example they give you two undershirts and nine pairs of socks, because they believe that the minimum a person needs to survive on for three years is exactly that. So some office worker (only combat soldiers get this voucher) probably came up with some algorithm resulting in his conclusion that I can afford to pay 52.8% of the cost of a pair of sneakers over 280 Shekels on the 350 shekel monthly salary. I think they spent a little to much effort thinking that through, and instead could have given me 45%. 

Regardless of that, the main question is whether I get my regular army discount before the voucher discount or after, and that can make a difference in the price. We'll see...

Why don't I know already? Well you see, in the army's vast efficiency they informed us that our details have been entered into the computer system as of last week. So I took the hour trip to the Malcha mall. I stepped through the threshold of the store and one of the clerks made a sad face and uttered the word, "Voucher?" At this point I had already accepted my fate. I nodded yes, and held my breath. The she erased whatever semblance of hope remained in my body after this long difficult week. "Your names are not entered in the computer system yet. I'm soooo sorry."

I can only hope this is a punishment for my sins in this world on Erev Yom Kippur. Meanwhile the blisters on my feet won't be getting any smaller over the next two weeks I'll be spending on base, because I'll still be running in my old shoes.

The Special Misdar

This morning we woke up at 4:35 for the extra-long Erev Rosh Hashana Slichot. The base was buzzing with excited soldiers, getting ready to spend the holiday with their families. People were running back and forth through the quad moving stuff into the storage areas to prepare the base for our 3-day weekend, and they were working faster than ever. The officers kept shouting, the faster you finish your work the faster you go home. A few officers even joined us in our work, because after all they wanted to get home soon to be with their families too.

We finished the worked and were called to a Misdar (line-up.) But this was not a normal Misdar. Normal Misdarim are with your unit, and important Misdarim are with your division. This Misdar was with our entire platoon. That was not the only strange detail. As we stood in formation facing the Israeli Flag and the edge of the quad, the officers came out with plates of sliced apples and jars of honey. There were a few giggles which were promptly silenced by the officers who reminded us that like every other Misdar, we must stand still and silent.

As the Platoon commander arrived we gave him  a salute, and followed his instructions. Each soldier took a slice of apple and dipped it in honey. We stood still as statues as he spoke to us about the meaning of Rosh Hashana. At the end he gave the order and each soldier ate his honey-dipped apple.

Herein is the greatest difference between the Israeli army and most other westernized armies. In Israel, the church and state and one in the same. Judaism is our culture, and our culture is Judaism. We are fighting for a united cause, and a cause in which we all believe in., a peaceful Jewish state in our biblical homeland. Israeli soldiers go to sleep dreaming of peace in the State of Israel. American soldiers don't go to bed dreaming of a free Afghanistan. The fact that we value the cause which we are fighting for more than our own lives is what makes us the greatest army in the world. That's why we can stand up to countries who are seemingly much stronger than us and defeat them in 6 days. May the coming year be a year of peace! Shana Tova!