Thirty-give soldiers from the Haredi paratrooper company, known as Chetz, received their red berets Thursday in a ceremony that took place at Jerusalem’s Ammunition Hill, a national memorial site commemorating the valor and heroism of the paratroopers who fought to liberate Jerusalem during the Six Day War.
Among the new paratroopers is one Yossi Brickman, a native of Crown Heights in Brooklyn, NY, and a grandson of Colonel Rabbi Jacob Goldstein, former chief chaplain of the New York Army National Guard.
Rabbi Goldstein made a special trip to Israel in order to attend the ceremony and congratulate his grandson and fellow soldiers.
Rabbi Goldstein, who served in the U.S. Army for 38 years, enlisted after receiving a blessing from the Lubavitcher Rebbe. Goldstein was seen as something of a trailblazer, the very first soldier to receive a military exemption from shaving his beard.
His military career led him around the world, to Bosnia, South Korea, Afghanistan, Cuba and Iraq. During the Gulf War, Goldstein traveled to Israel along with an American delegation, and during the 9/11 attacks, his National Guard unit was among the first to arrive on the terror scene in Manhattan. Throughout close to four decades of devoted service, Rabbi Goldstein loyally serviced the spiritual and moral needs of Jewish men and women in uniform.
Chetz, the Hebrew acronym of Charedi Tzanchanim (Haredi Paratroopers) was founded in the beginning of 2017 following the outstanding success of the Haredi Netzach Yehuda (Nahal Haredi) brigade.
Nahal Haredi Organization rabbis, who escort Haredi soldiers throughout their years of army service and beyond, express: “We are thrilled with the successful integration of a Haredi company into the paratroopers. Chetz paratroopers prove that it is, indeed, possible to serve in combat units in the IDF without compromising on an authentic Haredi lifestyle.”
Yossi
Keep it up. I am so happy for you.
Tzvi Bogomilsky
Miami Beach
He’s a hero standing on his own courage, of course with Hashem’s help
What a boss keep it up!
During training, they wear green berets. After passing the grueling 7 or 8 month training, during which some 30% are dropped, they are given red berets.
A the Rebbe would quot “The eye’s of Hashem is on Israel (its soldiers and citizens) from the begining of the year until the end of the year”, Much Bracha and Hatzlacha!
Go Yossi Brikman
but the beret on his shoulder looks green to me. Pardon my ignorance if theres something im missing
Mazel Tov, Mazel Tov! Very Proud friends of The Edelman Families from Longmeadow/Springfield, MA. Great Grand Parents, Grand parents, Parents, Aunts & Uncles cousins. Yasher Koach on a job well Done!
Mazal tov mazal tov to both of them!!! Everyone in Lubavitch is very proud I’m sure. B”H. This must be bringing great nachas to the Rebbe too. It’s a known story that during the times just before the start of the 1st Gulf War, Rabbi Goldstein was supposed to be sent to a US base in Saudi Arabia. It was only a few weeks before Purim and he asked the Rebbe if he should bring a Megilah. The Rebbe told him the war would be over before Purim, and sure enough the war ended a day before Purim. Who could… Read more »