Hi,

Hope you’re having a great day.

… I recently had one of those “remember the miracle of Israel” moments.

And I wanted to share it with you.

Friends of mine went toIsraelfor a very special event.

Their son Yaakov was being inducted into the Israeli Army.

They told me how proud they were.

And how moving the ceremony was.

I’m sure it was very moving for all the parents there.

But it was especially so for Yaakov’s parents.

Why?

As you can imagine, basic training for the IDF is no picnic.

In fact?

Before Yaakov could be presented with his IDF beret?

He had to take part in a 70 kilometer march!

Had to march for over 40 miles.

While carrying equipment weighing 40% of his body weight!

And this march touched them in a very special way.

Why?

… Because the word “march” brings something else to their mind.

It takes them back close to 70 years.

Yaakov’s grandmother was also in a march.

A death march!

She was a German Jew who survived the Holocaust.

And shortly before liberation?

Thousands of prisoners were forced to march long distances in the bitter cold.

Those who could not keep up were shot.

She was among less than 200 who survived the march.

… Picture her on that death march.

Could she have even imagined having a grandson?

And how about a grandson who would also be in a march?

But a different kind of march…

Taking place in the Land of Israel.

To qualify as a defender of close to six million Jews!

… Yaakov has been trained as a sniper.

And given his family history?

You might expect him to be anxious to do what his grandparents couldn’t do.

Anxious to use his training to kill those who want to harm Jews.

But what did this young man whose grandmother survived the death march tell me?

“I pray that I will never need to use it!”

To that we should say amen!

All the best,