Former lone soldier Ari Friedman, 25, began to come close to Judaism through NCSY. After high school, he traveled to Israel for the first time and took part in the Young Judea One-Year Program. The following year he returned to the US to study at the University of California, Irvine. Ari relates, “It was there that my Jewish identity and connection to Israel deepened exponentially. Because of the rampant anti-Israel activity on campus, I took upon myself the role of a dedicated activist for two years. Because of the depth of my involvement, my understanding of what it truly means to be Jewish deepened and solidified, and I confirmed my decision to be a chozer b’teshuva, to make aliyah and to enlist in the IDF.”
After making aliyah, Ari enrolled in Machon Meir where he spent the year prior to his enlistment exploring the depths and dynamics of the Torah and strengthening his emunah to be equipped for the upcoming hardships of the army. Ari enlisted for two years in Netzach Yehuda, also known as Nachal Chareidi. After basic training he requested to be sent to a first-aid course and the army complied.
During Operation Tzuk Eitan, Ari served in Tulkarim and Jenin. He relates, “Sometimes there were 500 rioting Arabs. We used tear gas, rubber bullets and real bullets when necessary. We performed night raids and arrests. Some of them would throw things from the roofs.
“Waiting for orders could be very stressful. It gets dramatic during those moments with rocks being thrown at them, but the soldiers have not yet received orders to respond.”
Ari told me about being with some soldiers in the rear flank and seeing Arabs near the wall ready to throw rocks at them. His officer went up front to get permission to respond, but the commander, who didn’t know about the danger in the rear, was too busy to respond. “At times our hands are tied and it is very frustrating,” revealed Ari.
On a positive note Ari said, “I would encourage others to enlist in the IDF. It caused me to grow in a bunch of ways and I don’t think that I could have done it elsewhere. It is an incredible zechut to help uphold the good of the nation. It’s also a lot of fun. There is much more in common than differences and it creates a pleasant environment. But the army is hard and I am not romanticizing it.”
In the fall, Ari plans to study at Ben Gurion University in the paramedic track.
May Hashem protect all of our soldiers, lone or otherwise.
