What emotions do young Israelis experience when they join the Israel Defense Force (IDF)? How do they transition from being teenagers to developing as IDF soldiers? This is the subject of a new documentary movie, Beneath the Helmet: From High School to the Home Front that is coming to the U.S. and will be shown at Temple Sinai of Roslyn on Thursday, Dec. 18 at 7:30 p.m.
The viewer will hear the poignant observations of young Israelis from various walks of life. The movie is a coming-of-age story that highlights five young Israeli high school graduates who are drafted into the army to defend their country.
At the age of 18, away from their houses, family and friends these young individuals undergo a demanding journey, revealing the core of who they are and who they want to be. The film illustrates how these young men and women are protecting not only their homes, but the shared values of peace, democracy and women’s rights. The lessons they learn along the way are lessons that can be adapted, understood and appreciated by everyone.
After the film, join Nadav Eylon of the Sid Jacobson JCC as he discusses both his personal experiences as a young Israeli, and his take on current affairs in Israel. Nadav Eylon, a “shaliach” or emissary for the Jewish Agency for Israel, is director of the Center for Israel at the Sid Jacobson Jewish Community Center.
He was a leader in the Israeli youth movement Maccabi Tsair, the education section of the Maccabi World Union. He directed this group’s largest branch, serving over 550 youth aged 8 to 18. Nadav is a Captain in the Airborne Reserve Division of the IDF, and is a veteran of the Second Lebanon War, Operation Defensive Shield, Operation Cast Lead and Operation Pillar of Cloud.
Temple Sinai of Roslyn is located at 425 Roslyn Rd., Roslyn Heights. For more information about Temple Sinai, contact Ethel Liebeskind at 516-621-6800 or visit our website at www.mysinai.org.
