MK Sofa Landver at the Michve Alon base. Photo: IDF Spokesperson

Minister of Absorption Sofa Landver visit at the Michve Alon base. Photo: IDF Spokesperson

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Nestled in the northern part of Israel, near Sefad, is a military base that may appear to be like any other from the outside, but is training its unique soldiers in a unique way on the inside. In a typical IDF training base classroom in any other base in the country, one finds a number of common staple decorations: portraits of both Chief of the General Staff, Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi and President Shimon Peres, a picture of the official symbol of the State of Israel, a copy of “The Spirit of the IDF” (a code of behavior and values for all IDF soldiers to live by). And in these typical classrooms, soldiers are taught various lessons related to their military service including how to administer first aid, how to assemble and operate a military radio, how to identify, clean and assemble the parts of a gun, how to properly put on a gas mask. While soldiers trained in Michve Alon receive all of this information, it is with a bit of a twist. On the same wall where the portraits of Lt. Gen. Ashkenai and President Peres are hung, one finds a poster with all the letters of the Hebrew alphabet. On another wall hung with a diagram of an M-16 with labeled parts, there is another sheet of paper next to it defining in simpler terms what each word means. And in addition to being taught military discipline, soldiers here are also learning about Israel and about what they are fighting for.

Minister of Absorption Sofa Landver visited the IDF military training base Michve Alon Tuesday (Jan. 26) to see with her own eyes the special work being done there for the absorption of immigrants.  The base tends to 3 separate and unique populations: Ethiopians in particular, immigrants in general, and at-risk youth.  In the IDF in general, one in every 5 soldiers has immigrated to Israel from another country. The IDF differentiates between old immigrants, or those who immigrated to the country at any time up until the age of 16, and new immigrants, or those who immigrated to the country from the age of 16 and on.  These categorizations remain regardless of how long a person has been living in the country, so that a 17 year old boy who moves to the country will still be considered a new immigrant when he is in his seventies.

A Numbers Game

The Michve Alon is a part of the greater Education and Youth Corps of the IDF, which encompasses 19 units and 3 training bases. At any given day there are approximately 3,400 soldiers, male and female, being trained in Michve Alon. Every year the base sees the completed training of approximately 170,000 soldiers.

The three populations found in Michve Alon were not chosen haphazardly. There are a number of staggering statistics proving that these groups were not receiving equal opportunities in the IDF for a number of reasons. For example, participating in any course during the duration of military service is considered an honor and an accomplishment, but only 8% of the old immigrants, 5% of the new immigrants and 10% of Ethiopian soldiers complete military courses, as opposed to 13% of Israeli born soldiers. While 7% of Israeli born soldiers advance to become officers in the army, only 5.2% of old immigrants, 4% of Ethiopians and 1.5% of new immigrants do the same. And while only 8% of Israeli born soldiers have spent time in a military prison, 13% of new immigrants and 30% of Ethiopian soldiers have.

MK Landver heard directly from senior officers on the base about what Michve Alon does in an attempt to create more equal opportunities for soldiers of all backgrounds. She was told about the special course for Ethiopian Israeli soldiers, which enables those same soldiers to attain better positions and higher rank than they otherwise may have by being trained in another base. She was told about the Combat Preparatory Course, which is a basic training course for immigrant soldiers who know Hebrew well enough for daily casual conversation, but not well enough for military service. This course prepares its soldiers for their continuation in the IDF with a basic month-long course, after which soldiers are sent straight to their respective combat training bases. And finally, MK Landver was told about the Immigrants’ Course which combines basic training with intensive Hebrew Ulpan class.  Soldiers leave this 3 month course armed with knowledge about guns and grammar.  As Lt. Col. Itai Karin says, “The reason why they are sent here is Hebrew, but in fact they learn so much more, about the history of Israel, about Judaism, about Israeli society.”

“We can all speak Hebrew together”

In fact, soldiers participating in the Immigrants’ Course arrive to the country from 25 different countries all over the world each year. During her visit to the base, MK Landver heard from soldiers from 6 of those countries, including the United States, Ethiopia, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Belarus and Mexico.  Speaking only in Hebrew, the different soldiers told her a bit about where they came from, how they had each moved to Israel without their families, and where they hope to serve in The IDF. One soldier from the United States explained in broken Hebrew that before coming to Israel he had never spoken a single sentence, but now that he has come to Michve Alon he is trying hard to understand the language better. When he was asked about his parents’ thoughts on his immigration to Israel, he said “My father is proud.” In response, MK Landver told him “Your father is proud of you and we are too.”

The Minister of Absorption then sat in on a routine class where soldiers originating from different countries all over the world were debating what a homeland is. Some soldiers felt that it was a country where one was born. Some said it is a place where one feels at home.  While the commander wanted to teach a bit about Israeli society and the issues it faces, she was also incorporating Hebrew lessons. And in fact, one of the soldiers in the class shared that, “In our company, some are from the USA, some are from the former Soviet Union, some are from France, but we can all speak Hebrew together.”

Hebrew as a path to success

Before the visit was through, MK Landver had the opportunity of meeting with training officers who deal with the soldiers on a daily basis. Of the six officers, three had immigrated to Israel and of those three, two had begun their basic training upon first entering the IDF at Michve Alon. Strong emphasis was placed on a change that has been noted in the IDF over the past several years. Whereas 10 years ago officers emphasized the importance of trying to be as Israeli as possible, nowadays the officers encourage soldiers to maintain their culture and characteristics from their birthplaces while simultaneously learning about Israeli society.

Michve Alon even holds a National Evening for each squadron during which soldiers originating from a country are encouraged to represent their birthplace to the rest of the squadron, so that everyone slowly learns a bit about his fellow soldiers and where they come from. In addition, much emphasis is placed on the goals of this base. The officers believe that it is important to teach these soldiers how to be the best soldiers they can be, so that they will in turn become the best citizens they can be. Lt. Col. Itai Karin says, “Education takes time. We have patience because we anticipate seeing the results of the education received here when the soldiers are finished with their military service and enter civilian life.” MK Landvin agreed, adding, “It is important to teach the soldiers these Hebrew words, as learning Hebrew enables them to go farther and succeed in the army, and then this helps them when they leave the army to remain successful within the Israeli society.”