…well, yeah, I’d love some technical writing projects but that isn’t what I meant here. What I’m looking for, is a job for a special young man who came to Israel to serve in our army. I met his mother via the blog and when she told her soldier son that she’d contacted me, he warned her about being in contact with people you read about on the Internet! Then he read this blog and told her I was okay (thanks, J!).
So, J. came to Israel to volunteer for the army – more, to be Israeli. He made aliyah, throwing his future in with ours, leaving his wonderful parents, brother and sister behind. I think they thought he was crazy (and probably still do a bit), but he fell in love with Israel…as I did so long ago and as many others have. So he came and joined the army – the Paratroopers! Not just that – he was singled out for excellence and his dedication in front of his parents, hundreds of other soldiers and probably thousands of parents. I watched him run up and accept the award and was so happy for him and for his parents.
A short time later, in a stupid training accident, J. was hurt. I don’t know the full medical details, but I know that treatment took too long and the torn ligaments weren’t allowed to heal as needed. The army is a great machine, I often say, made up of thousands of little parts. When one part falls wrong, the army sometimes just doesn’t know what to do. The machine chugs along; the piece sacrificed for the greater good.
The problem is that the piece is a person and in this case, a lone soldier without enough support here in Israel to cushion the army’s mistakes. After months of no treatment, wrong treatment, or whatever, J. was discharged from the army. He called me today and as he was talking, my heart filled with dread. He’s calling to say goodbye, I thought. He’s going to tell me he’s going back to America. He told me about visiting his parents in LA. They are wonderful people – I’d probably go back to them too.
He talked; I listened. I was going to tell him that I wished him luck, that I understood, that it would be okay and maybe in the future, he’d come back. And…and then the conversation turned. He explained that he was living in Tel Aviv and as the conversation continued, I realized he wasn’t telling me he was leaving at all!
He was asking if I could help him, if I knew anyone who could offer him a job. I told him what I’d feared and heard the most wonderful of responses, “No way!” and “I’m not giving up!” That is the nature of this young man, this soldier of Israel who, despite his injury, continues to fight to live here.
So, if you have a job to offer a wonderful English-speaking immigrant in the Tel Aviv area – office work, computer work, etc – please contact me and I’ll connect you. He can’t really stand for very long periods on his feet but he is mobile, walks just fine and has a wonderful sense of loyalty and dedication!
If you have something, contact me and I’ll put you in touch!
May G-d help him to find a job soon.
Bless you for trying to help…
Don’t help him! Send him home to his family! Just kidding J!
(I can dream, can’t I?)
Thanks so much for all you do, not just for my son, but for all the lone soldiers you adopt, and all the people you try to help. We am so lucky to have met you, you are the best!
See, not all people you meet on the internet are bad…
xoxo
J’s MOM
Please help him. He is smart (and speaks japanese English Hebrew) he’s ways cared about others and won’t tell you but he saved a child’s life when he was a boy and it was on tv in the US. Quick thinking and compassion.
He was born to help others and was the top soldier in his unit, although older, although american and raised without hebrew.
Thanks to everyone leaving comments – see the Looking for a Job Update – no news yet, but I hope something will come through. Certainly a lot of ideas were generated.
And J.’s Mom – thank you. I really, really don’t feel that I do that much. In this case, it was a single email posted to a list – took a few seconds. It truly is Israel’s way of saying thank you to J. (and to you).
If you remember what the officers said at J.’s ceremony at the Kotel – they thanked you for trusting them with your son and promised to take care of him…well, sadly, though they tried, they didn’t really do too great a job – but Israel is, hopefully, picking up the challenge. Hoping to hear J. got the most amazing job offers!
Can’t express my thanks enough!
The power of your writing is amazing.
I am glad that you were standing there next to me at that ceremony…
And to my cousin, Audrey too.
Thanks to you both
xoxo