Proudly Serving in the IDF

The events of last summer reminded those of us here in Israel how much our army is needed. To maintain that army, from the age of 18 every Israeli male and female is required to serve three and two years, respectively, of compulsory military service. Many of our friends' children whom we have watched grow up are now proudly serving in the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), and these last few weeks saw two more of them enter national service.

Gabi's parents asked me to create a Good Luck card for him, showing him in his olive green uniform and with a gun in his hands. The Hebrew letters צ.ה.ל, which stand for Tzva Hahagana LeYisra'el (literally "the Army of Defence for Israel") can be seen behind him. His black leather boots, which most IDF soldiers are issued (some units issue reddish-brown leather boots for historical reasons) are next to him. Each corps in the Israel Defence Forces has a beret of a different colour. The soldiers only wear them on their heads on formal occasions, such as ceremonies and roll calls. Usually the beret is placed beneath the left shoulder strap while wearing the service uniform, though it is not worn while wearing the combat/work uniform in the field. Gabi's green beret can be seen on his left shoulder.

Karin, below, also recently went in to the army. Israel is the one of only a few countries in the world, along with Norway and Eritrea, with a mandatory military service requirement for women. Women have taken part in Israel’s military before and since the founding of the state in 1948, and Karin's Grandma told me that Karin too was keen to play her part. I have shown her with a pale green beret on her card - Grandma thought that was the colour she was going to wear - and with some boots and her army military dog tag next to her. The badge of the Israel Defence Forces is to her left, whilst the flag of Israel is flying on her right. The Tzahal (צה״ל) Hebrew letters appear below her.

This large card was going to be signed by all of her extended family, but Grandma also wanted a second card just from her. For this smaller card I carefully cut out the words "Good Luck" and popped them on to a background of camouflage, a fabric often used in the military.