An American in Israel- B'nai Torah Member shares a bit of life in the Israeli Army

BOCA RATON, Fla. - May 8, 2017 - PRLog -- On Sunday, April 30, 2017, B'nai Torah Congregation in Boca Raton, Florida celebrated Yom Ha'atzmaut - Israel Independence Day. As part of the festivities, congregation member Noah Davis presented a film entitled "Beneath the Helmet." The film depicts the journey of five Israeli high school graduates who are drafted into the Israeli army. Noah Davis embarked on a similar journey that took him from his home in the United States, to Israel, and on to the Israeli Army.

The word "Aliyah," is Hebrew for 'rise, ascent, going up'. However, the expression 'Making Aliyah' has become a euphemism for immigration to Israel. At the age of 24, Noah Davis' family decided to make the transition from American citizens to Israeli citizens and left their hometown in Maryland to make a life in Israel. Noah had already graduated from college and was working in Washington, and decided to join his family and become a citizen of Israel as well.

Thinking he would secure a job, and begin building a life near his parents, he was surprised to receive his IDF Draft notice so quickly after getting settled. "I was not upset about being drafted, I just thought since I was already 24 years old, and the typical age for going into the Israeli Army is 18, that it would be some time before I would be drafted, if at all," commented Noah.

Noah held two positions during his 2-year commitment with the Israeli Army - he taught English to senior-level officers and was also the liaison who explained and guided them through their training. He was so good at his job, he recalled one of his fondest memories - "I went off base to visit friends in another city, and got a ride with two officers who did not speak English," Noah explained. "After about

an hour of conversing in Hebrew, one of the officers turned to me and asked me if I was from France! My Hebrew was so good, that he had no idea I was actually American," Noah added.

One of Noah's proudest and most memorable experiences occurred during his first Yom Ha'atzmaut Ceremony which happens to fall right after Yom Hazikaron (Israel's Remembrance Day). Noah received notice that he would be assigned to border patrol while in the city of Tzfat where the ceremony was to take place. Noah explained - "What was typically a 20-minute patrol back and forth along this particular border, turned into an hour each way because I was stopped by people every few minutes wanting to feed me, talk to me, offer me something to drink, or just tell me how much they loved and appreciated who I was, and what I was doing for the state of Israel. They didn't know me personally, but there was such a deep personal connection. It was truly moving.