Lone Soldier’s Loving Surprise

Avi Bentov – YNet News

My sister flew to the US as a teaching envoy, and now manages a Jewish school in Brooklyn, New York. When her son Jonathan reached the draft age, he came back to Israel “in order to be a soldier in the army of the nation of Israel, and protect Jerusalem,” according to him.

He did as he said he would, and flew to Israel. He told the selection officer: Only Golani. And that’s where he ended up as a lone soldier. Wednesday marked the end of a long and arduous period of basic training for Jonathan, ending in his Beret ceremony at the Golani junction.

My sister, a worrying mother, wrote a post on Facebook saying, “My son, Yonatan Hadar, a lone soldier in Golani, who came to serve the country out of pure Zionism and his love for Israel… is finishing his Beret march at the Golani Junction… If you are in the area and want to make him happy (Because we, his parents, can’t make it) – we will greatly appreciate it. It’s an emotional occasion in which a soldier’s extended family greets him. Share this post so that he knows that there is no such thing as a lone soldier!”

The post managed to cross oceans and borders and the nation of Israel answered my sister’s call. People came from all over Israel to be his family. Masuda came all the way from Dimona with a platter of cakes; and Farha Zilfa, came from the village of Migdal with a pot full of Kurdish Kube for him.

A district judge came with a few lawyers from Haifa; police Commander Shlomo Avitan, the commander of the Nazareth police, came with 10 of his policemen; A whole family of settlers from Samaria came with their children and grandchildren, along with many-many more good people.

But Yoni knew nothing of the show that awaited him, because he was still marching, holding his friend on the stretcher. When he arrived at the ceremony, he stood shocked. During the brigade commander’s speech, he praised Yonatan Hadar, and the people who came out in masses to support him

Video: The ceremony