IDF

The cultural differences between Israel and the United States that I have seen thus far have not been too major, however, one thing that I found particularly alarming was that in every crowded public area we went to, I saw many soldiers carrying guns. For the people that have lived in Israel, I am sure that they are used to this being a part of their everyday lives, however for me, it was quite alarming and made me tense up frequently. The first place where I noticed this was on Friday, when we went to the Shuk in Jerusalem and I continued to see them at the various places we visited this weekend. Are the soldiers there for the safety of others, or do they happen to be going around a market in Jerusalem with guns because they are still required to wear their uniform as part of the IDF service? 

On every Tiyul that we go on, we are required to have guards. I like all of the precautions taken by EIE to ensure our safety, however, I wish that Israelis were safe enough to not have to go to those extremes. In two weeks, I will be at the mock Israeli military base, Gadna, where I will train like a member of the IDF. Even though for Israelis it is normal to do military service after they turn eighteen, I think that everyone should be given the opportunity to choose for themselves weather they want to serve or not. Israel is such a small country, with many security concerns, so an army is necessary. I know that there is most likely no better system to ensure the safety of Israelis and maintain control over the Jewish state, however it would be ideal to have the option to choose, like most people enlisting in armies have the ability to do.