Home Again
After four long months of war, many IDF reserve units are being released, and social media is filled with heartwarming images of exhausted soldiers returning home to their loving, grateful families.
But reality – as is often the case – is far more complex.
After all, the war is far from over. It can’t – and won’t – end until all our enemies are defeated. So while some units have been released, countless others are still involved in active combat on Israel’s numerous fronts.
In addition, as all the released reservists are grimly aware, it’s only a matter of time until they’re called back up again. Will it be months, weeks, or… even sooner? No one can say, but it’s a question of when – not if.
But not knowing when they’ll have to return to the frontlines is only one of the challenges facing the released reservists.
First, there are the personal technical issues:
- Those who are still in school will have to make up weeks and weeks of classes, assignments and tests, and although the universities and colleges have promised various benefits and accommodations, there’s only so much they can do.
- Some reservists lost their jobs. (Many businesses were forced to close during the war, because the owners and/or the workers were called up.) Others are concerned that their employers have learned to manage too well without them, and now they may become redundant.
- Such a long separation can take a toll on even the strongest relationships, but with so much else on their plates, many couples may not be in a position to go on weekend getaways or even simple date nights.
- After fighting an existential war, many returning soldiers may have trouble thinking about routine things like school, work or even mundane household chores. And while the married ones want nothing more than to finally relieve their wonderful wives (who arguably are among the war’s greatest heroes) of their many burdens and responsibilities, getting back into the mindset of everyday tasks like bathing the kids or taking out the trash isn’t easy.
- It’s impossible to even imagine what the returning reservists underwent and witnessed. They may have lost dear friends or relatives, and they’re certainly experiencing a wide range of often contradictory emotions. However, learning how to deal with – and speak about – their feelings is a long process that can’t be rushed.
