There are moments in life that shift your entire perspective. At 44 years old, I experienced one of those moments when I made a decision I never thought I’d make: I was drafted to the IDF.
The Decision
This wasn’t something I took lightly. When my family moved to Israel to give our children a better life, we also accepted a fundamental reality – they would one day face military service or civil service. It’s part of what it means to be Israeli. So when the opportunity came for me to serve through Shlav Bet, the Charedi draft program, I faced a simple question: How could I expect this only of my children?
Shlav Bet is unique. It’s designed for men like me – over draft age, with families and established lives – who choose to volunteer. The program involves two weeks of intensive basic training and immediate placement in active reserves. All 65 men in my unit made this choice. We felt we were needed, and we decided to step up.
A New Understanding
But this blog post isn’t really about my decision to serve. It’s about what those two weeks taught me about the families we dedicate ourselves to helping through Smiles for the Kids – and how profoundly it changed my understanding of our mission.
For two weeks, I lived the reality that thousands of Israeli families face regularly. I was limited to 35 minutes of phone contact per day with my family. I experienced firsthand what it means to be separated from those you love most while serving your country. But more importantly, I gained insight into what the families left behind endure.
The wives of soldiers carry an impossible burden. Overnight, they become single parents, managing households, caring for children, and maintaining some semblance of normalcy – all while carrying the constant worry about their husband’s safety. They field questions from children who don’t understand why Daddy isn’t coming home, handle bedtime routines alone, and somehow find the strength to be both mother and father while their partners serve in dangerous situations and locations.
The stress is immeasurable. The worry is constant. The strength required is extraordinary.
The Men Who Serve
The men in my unit – all adults, all married, some with children as young as five weeks old – gave up everything to serve. They left thriving businesses, comfortable routines, and precious time with their families to become links in the chain protecting Israel.
Every morning, we raised the Israeli flag together. With our berets on our heads, we sang Hatikvah and Ani Maamin. In those moments, the weight of responsibility became crystal clear. We all believe this is our time to be part of our country’s history, continuing a legacy that began with Yehoshua bin Nun leading the Jewish people into the Promised Land.
But here’s what struck me most: many of these incredible men don’t have the support systems they need. Some lack the connections to get proper gear for their reserve duty (milluim). Others can’t even discuss their IDF service within their own communities due to various social pressures and complexities within different sectors of Israeli society. They’re serving their country, but doing so quietly, without recognition or adequate support.
Why This Matters for Our Mission
This experience reinforced everything Smiles for the Kids stands for, but it also expanded my understanding of who we serve and why our work matters.
Every military family we help has lived this reality. Every wife who receives our support has managed alone while worrying about her husband’s safety. Every child we bring joy to has wondered when their father will come home. Every smile we create happens against the backdrop of real sacrifice and genuine concern.
The families we serve aren’t just statistics or beneficiaries – they’re heroes in their own right, managing incredible challenges with grace and strength that most of us can barely comprehend.
Moving Forward
This experience has deepened my commitment to our mission in ways I couldn’t have anticipated. We’ve established a dedicated fund to provide essential gear for reserve soldiers like the men I served with, and to offer additional support for their families during service periods. These heroes shouldn’t have to worry about having proper equipment or whether their families can manage while they’re protecting all of us.
But beyond the practical support, I now understand our work differently. Every program we run, every family we help, every moment of joy we create – it all takes place within the context of real sacrifice made by real people for something greater than themselves.
The uniform carries weight. The responsibility is real. The families who support those who serve deserve every bit of help we can provide.
A Personal Thank You
To the 64 other men who served alongside me – thank you for showing me what quiet heroism looks like. To the wives and children who supported us while we were away – your strength is extraordinary. To everyone who supports Smiles for the Kids in our mission to serve these incredible families – thank you for being part of something that matters.
There’s much more to share about this experience, and I look forward to telling you more in the coming weeks about what I learned and how it will shape our organization moving forward.
But for now, I’ll leave you with this: behind every soldier is a family making their own sacrifices for our collective security. They deserve our support, our gratitude, and our commitment to making their lives a little brighter whenever we can.
That’s why we do what we do. That’s why it matters. That’s why we’ll keep serving those who serve.
If you’d like to support our fund for the reserve soldiers in my unit, visit our page here. Every contribution helps ensure these heroes have what they need to serve and that their families are supported while they’re away.