Birthday Cards for Two Young Men in Uniform

I'm sharing the cards I created for these young soldiers on their 19th birthday, but I've removed their names for obvious reasons. For their safety and security, I can't say much about them without revealing too much. What I can share is that their mum asked me to include the badge, coloured beret, boots and weapon from each of the corps they currently serve in. The turquoise beret belongs to the Israeli Artillery Corps, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) corps responsible for operating medium and long-range artillery.

I'm happy to report that the cards were very well received.

In Israel, military service is simply part of growing up. At 18, Jewish, Druze, and Circassian boys and girls are called up to serve - approximately three years for the boys and two for the girls - while Arab citizens of Israel are not conscripted. There are, of course, exceptions based on health, religious reasons, or other personal circumstances, and each teenager undergoes a full day of tests and interviews known as the Tzav Rishon, the "first draft notice". It is an important moment, the first real step into the world of the IDF.

Following that, every recruit receives a medical profile, which determines where they'll serve. Those with the highest profiles head to the combat units - the infantry brigades, combat intelligence, or engineering. Others are placed in roles like the Armoured Corps, Artillery, Military Police, or Border Police. And many more serve in essential support roles: logistics, adjutant corps, ordnance and all the behind-the-scenes jobs that keep the army running day and night.

Every so often, the question of compulsory service returns to the public debate - should Israel keep the draft or move to an all-volunteer army? In recent months, the issue has become even more heated, especially with growing public pressure on the Haredi community (ultra-Orthodox Jews), who are largely exempt from military service. Their ongoing fight to maintain these exemptions has added yet another layer to the national discussion - one that stirs strong feelings on all sides.
It's a conversation that never really goes away. But for now, with the continued need for a strong and sizeable military, most Israeli families still find themselves standing at induction bases, hugging their 18-year-olds tight. There's enormous pride in that moment, mixed with the very real flutter of fear that comes with letting them go.

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