“We tell everyone we are not afraid. This is what we were trained for but the truth is that anyone who says he is not afraid is not telling the truth. There is no such thing as not having some fear” stated one paratrooper of the 202nd Battalion, now stationed at the Gaza border, awaiting orders to move into the Hamas-controlled area.
When asked how his parents are doing he responded, “They do not stop calling, hysterical. At some point, I simply stop responding. There is nothing to do.”
Along the border one can find paratroopers, artillery corps soldiers, and Golani Brigade soldiers. Golani and the paratroopers are constantly fighting among themselves demanding they should be the first in, seeking the honor to start the ground battle that will ultimately determine the outcome of Operation Cast Lead.
The roads around the border are now an armored camp, with tanks, armored personnel carriers and an array of specialized military vehicles visible in the ‘closed military zone’ area.
Morale is high and most of the soldiers admit that are anxious to get moving, to “teach Hamas a lesson” and to bring a halt to rocket attacks.
The infantry soldiers explain they have checked and rechecked their equipment to infinitum and they are ready and willing, waiting for the green light. The positive attitude seems to prevail despite the awareness of the dangers that await the troops in Gaza who realize a difficult battle awaits them.
The anxieties and concerns seen in soldiers are perhaps increasingly evident among officers, who have additional responsibilities. One major explains he has not had a night sleep in a number of days; adding it is unlikely things will get easier in the coming days.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
19 Responses
May god watch over and protect these beautiful people and their families.
Everyone say one kapitel Tehillim for the soldiers. Is there any way to arrange to get a list of names of the soldiers and assign them to people so that each soldier has at least one person davening for him?
we pray for each and everyone of you
Good luck to you all. May G-d bless you and protect you!
Please lets all daven for our soldiers and our brethen in the South Of Israel whose lives are in real danger.
The constant sound of rockets exploding have traumatized these people for the rest of their lives.
Please hold off your comments about “those zionists ” and instead say a perek of tehillim for our fellow jews who need our tefillot – a far more beneficial pursuit
Everybody should say a kapitel tehillim that Moshich should arrive, and there should be a stop to all our Tzhoros.
Please don’t get carried away…
Everyone should have the soldiers in mind in each tefillah. This should be an impetus for having kavanah in shmoneh esrah.
To quote Nachum Segal “Achainu BeYisrael, Anachnu Imachem”
I wish there was always as much achdus as is being shown here. Then perhaps Moshiach really would come and stop our tzoros.
The soldiers should always be in our prayers and not just during a war. They are our brothers.
G-D bless each and every Israeli soldier they are fighting for us all.
WHEN IT COMES TO PROTECTING jEWISH LIVES, WE ARE ALL ONE PEOPLE, cHILONI AND hAREIDI ALIKE. THIS IS OUR ZECHUS.
Halevay they should know that they are messengers of Hashem and then no doubt they will have Hatzlocho.
I hate to say this, but–
The political war in Gaza, besides being designed to re-elect Kadimah, has the ultimate purpose of exchanging the terrorist entity, Hamas, for the terrorist entity, Fatah.
At the best, Gaza is still lost, the Arabs are unreconciled to Israel’s existence and the people of Israel are in danger from two sources. Kadimah and the terrorists.
“We don’t want to win.”
I daven for them, but am afraid that this is all futile since Olmert will release more of these terrorists and then there will be a ceasefire called by the anti-Semitic UN and the State Dept, this is EXACTLY what happened during the Lebanon-Hezbollah war (Hashem yimkam domim) war. ALL THOSE LIVES LOST WERE FOR NAUGHT
“Eleh b’rechev v’eleh b’susim va’anochnu bshem Hashem Elokainu nazkir.
We must remember our only true source of yeshua is through Torah and Tefillah.
Please don’t get carried away…
Comment by frielach — December 30, 2008 @ 9:39 am
I PLAN TO GET VERY CARRIED AWAY in davening.
# 17 YOU SAID GOOD
טוב = 17
17 good 18 good blahblahblah
i dont get what 7s problem is. anyone care to explain?
Didn’t you relize that this is an endless game,
one day the Israelis hit the second day they get hit back ? and the situation doesn’t change.
Hashem yerachem..