Interview conducted by Sharona Cohen, translated by Hillel Fendel
Elad Friedman* recently graduated from his second year at the Bet El IDF Preparatory Academy. In this interview he shares some of his experiences at the Academy and how he was affected by his time there. Elad is currently serving in the Givati Brigade [a counter-terrorism infantry brigade].
Sharona Cohen: Tell us about your childhood.
Elad Friedman: I'm from Modiin, not far from Ben Gurion Airport, and I grew up in a haredi-religious home. I went to religious and hareidi schools, including Ono, Amit, and Heshkat HaTalmud.
SC: How did you end up at the Bet El IDF Prep Academy?
EF: I wanted to enlist in the army for ideological reasons: I realized that I wanted to contribute to the Jewish People and the State of Israel in the best way possible. I began to realize that this could be done only through a mechina (IDF Preparatory Academy) – and I decided on the Bet El IDF Prep Academy, where I truly found a family, an embrace, a feeling of unity, and more.
SC: In what ways has the Academy changed you?
EF: Wow, that's quite a question! The Academy has really changed me on both a personal level and an inter-personal level. I have learned to appreciate more, to persevere, to invest in myself, and to be purposeful. And of course I have learned to help and to love each person without limits.
SC: Can you share 1-2 stories bout your experience at the Academy?
EF: That's also a hard question! There are so many stories that it's hard to choose just two. My experience at the Acade,y began with the classes that, simply put, prepare you for life. In addition to Torah, the classes deal with male-female issues, building one's personality, and more. There are special days for solidifying our group identity, volunteering days, treks from Sea to Sea [the Kinneret to the Mediterranean], stretcher-carrying treks in preparation for the army, learning to navigate on our own through hills and valleys, survival treks, and many other special experiences that give us strength and build up the ideals of love of giving and support for one another.
SC: Which unit did you enlist in and when did you begin? How do you feel about starting this new chapter of your life?
EF: Our Academy year-class just enlisted in the IDF's Givati Brigade in November. Most definitely, after a year at the Academy, the feeling when you then serve in the army is one of giving, of building, of empowering, and of giving your most during your service. You know what is expected of you in the army, and this enables you to function to the best of your abilities.
SC: What are your life goals after the army?
EF: What I would like to do after the army, with G-d's help, is to establish a kosher and genuine Jewish home and family, based on the values of appreciation, giving, love of others, and brotherhood. I would like to establish a business, get a degree, and educate with love and dedication. I would like to study in a Yeshiva, but I will combine it with university studies and work, in order to attain the goals I've set for myself.
SC: If you could share one message with our readers, what would it be?
EF: I would like to bless each and every one of the readers with osher va'osher [an idiomatic Hebrew play on words, meaning "happiness and wealth"], success, and a feeling of fulfillment. And of course I would say that one should always set goals in every area of life, and remember that "in order to succeed, one must first begin." That is, don't wait! Rather, initiate and "attack" your objectives with full strength, at every age and stage of life, and in every aspect and topic of life.
*Name has been changed for privacy