I have been hesitating. I do not know exactly how to end this blog, but I figure a general summary of my experience and some advice would be a good start.
Not everything was fun. I painted walls, organized papers, mowed lawns and did almost every type of work I used to think I was too good for. God does have a sense of humor.
The army is there to help you. It is not as scary as people think. During my exit interview the second in command of the base asked me what I was doing for my last week of army (which is a vacation time in order to prepare to give back army stuff and re-enter civilian life.) I told him I was getting married and I would be spending the week moving. The commander immediately offered to send an army truck and two soldiers to move my stuff for me. It was fun having a truck and two soldiers show up at my Yeshiva in order to help me move my stuff to Petach Tikvah.
You have more benefits than you think. You get one week off for regular vacation and the last week as a preparation or leaving the army. Also, if you are a lone soldier, you also get the occasional day off for errands once every two months and the one month by your parents (the army doesn't pay the ticket.) You get extra money for being a lone soldier – in the form of money toward rent, free electronics (I got 1250 shek to spend on household electronics) and other donations, stipends and food.
The army is extremely respectful of religion. Throughout basic training the commanders wanted nothing more than to accommodate us. If there was a problem, all one had to do was mention it and it was dealt with. Soldiers treat Judaism with the utmost respect. When the army sent two soldiers to help me move, one was a man and one was a woman. They arrived about lunch time and my Rosh Yeshiva told me to have them come in and eat some lunch before the long journey back. The woman refused to enter the Yeshiva because she felt she was not dressed properly. She was wearing a regular tight chayalet uniform and thought that it would be disrespectful to God to dress like that in a Yeshiva. I think it is fair to say that the army is the last true bastion of complete religious tolerance throughout Israeli society.
The army is more flexible than you think. Almost everyone in my unit from basic training did something other than the five original options. People from my unit ended up in the Rabbinate, working as lawyers, engineers, helping out with computers, working for the IDF public relations, aiding in scientific research, and fighting in the paratroopers. Remember, you can always just ask. Also, try not to get bullied into signing up for more time. If you fight it, they’ll let you do (almost) anything you want without signing up for more time.
I got a lot out of my army experience. I gained friends, integrated into an important part of Israeli society and improved my Hebrew tremendously. I wouldn't trade it for anything. That does not mean it was perfect, it just means that I am happy I did it and if I went back in time, I’d do it all again.
