Lubavitcher is 1st Haredi to Enlist in IAF Flying School
A Lubavitcher Bochur is making headlines in Israel after becoming the first Hareidi to join the Israeli Air Force’s highly prestigious flying school. His family would have rather him become a Rabbi, but support his decision.
by Ynet News
In the midst of the political turmoil surrounding the universal draft bill, an 18-year-old ultra-Orthodox youth is set to make history by being the first haredi to enlist in the IAF’s hugely prestigious flying school.
Becoming a flight pilot is a childhood dream for Y., whose father heads a Chabad center, and expected his son to follow the family tradition and devote himself wholesale to the study of Torah. “I’m proud to enlist in the IDF in order to protect the Jewish people in the most meaningful way possible,” Y. told family members one month before the imminent draft.
“Of course the study of Torah is a supreme value, yet I’m out to show that being an observant Jew is not in contradiction with serving in the IDF’s elite units. One can contribute in this manner too.” Y.’s family was supportive of his choice.
“We don’t mean to encourage all haredi youths to enlist in the army, god forbid,” the teenager’s father told Yedioth Ahronoth. “We believe that just as the IDF protects Israel and it is a great honor to serve in it, the study of Torah protects the Jews as well.
“We need both soldiers and Torah students to protect Israel. From the moment that Y. decided to not continue his studies at the yeshiva we extend all possible support so that he makes it throughout the course, including maintaining his faith.”
The IDF’s three-year flying course is considered extraordinary in difficulty, and only a small proportion of applicants complete it.
Y. is a graduate of the first year of the Torah Leadership Academy, a special preparatory institution designed to facilitate integration within the military for haredi youths. “We are trailblazers,” he told Yedioth Ahronoth a year ago. “The experiment is working. There is no other institution in Israel that provides these options to able haredi youths who don’t fit in at the yeshiva, yet want to live with dignity.”
Meanwhile, Y. is spending the weeks before enlistment by poring over holy books.
Stolichnaya
nebech. takeh a churban beis raban.
optimist
not if he makes it
Milhouse
Vos heist? Serving in Tzahal is a mitzvah. True, learning Torah is more important, and ideally he should be doing that, but if he isn’t cut out for it and knows he isn’t going to be learning anyway, this is the next best thing.
The Rebbe spoke highly of the mitzvah that chayalei Tzahal do, and even said that in one aspect they have a greater zechus than yeshivah bochurim: they have mesirus nefesh kipshuto. Whereas I never heard the Rebbe say anything good about sitting in zal and batteling.
Yossel
Being a Chayal who protects the lives of Yidden in Eretz Yisroel is a big zechus. May Hashem protect him and may he succeed in his career. So many bochrim waste time in yeshiva because they “have to be there” but aren’t book learners.
NEED BOTH!
Isn’t there a saying in the American Army,”If you don’t have people praying, those bullets don’t shoot.” If that’s true of a goyishe military, kal v’chomer, a Jewish one!
Hey Number 1, what do you mean EH???
The rebbe encouraged fighting for the Land, either on land or air. If it wasn’t for Hashem, The Rebbe and the IAF — we would not be on level playing terms vis a vis security especially now since all the arab enemies around us have vastly built up airforce infrastructures. We truly need the pangs of Moshiach to break loose in song.
Kol Hakavod
Hashem yishmor tzeischa u’bo’echa. With his faith and determination, may he go M’chayil el chayil in ruchnius AND gashmius.
he should not be made a hero
even if in his situation this is the right thing for him, for the sake of our kids he should not be idolized.
to#8
Who is idolizing him? He’s just getting recognition. If our kids are that impressionable then that falls on the parents.
z
haters gonna hate
y
very nice good choice im happy you do what u like stay safe and protect us
Great Dane
Some of the comments here really express much of what is wrong with Chabad culture. Chassidus stressing time and again about making a dirah b’tachtonim. We’re not supposed to cloister ourselves away; that’s for Christians in monasteries and Hareidim in Kollels.
Lehavdil
How dare you compare yidden (especially those learning in collel) to lehvdil christians.???!!! shows how much you know about the kavana of dirah betachtonim
proud
It’s a difficult and very important job he’s doing. He’s using his cochos out many times over the average person to protect the Holy Land and the Holy People.
Jason
Ha ha for the sake of out kids. Hide the fact the he accomplished something. …. so if our kids don’t fit in one way….. let them be stuck… ha ha Definitely the samach mem……. because batolo beings to chet….sin..shimum…… keep an open eye out for these opinionaters
Really?
Is he still going to be a Lubavitcher chossidi the way the Rebbe wants?
Or will he be B”H stay frum, but bye bye chossid with a beard, mikvah every day, etc?
Let’s not proclaim him to be a chosid if he’s giving up what makes one a chossid.
G-d only loves Chassidim? and other jews don't count?
expect to hear that kind of misnagid egotist attitude from the last century where they looked down on anybody who wasn’t a learner.
If honest working was good enough for the choftez then who are any of you to hold yourselves higher than a simple jew who serves Hashem with or without being a chasid.
Wonder what yoiu exact definition of a chasid is?
Gloating and ego certainly aren’t one of the requirements I’m sure.
Better to serve Hashem simply and Honestly and truthfully than to wear a kapata and pretend that you are religious .
To no# 12
We’re not interested I what you think is wrong with Chabad ‘culture’, you’re probably to much sunk in your east village goyishe culture to understand what Chabad is.