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Sending a Child to the Battlefield

(Times of Israel) Susannah Schild - When we moved to Israel 20 years ago, our son was just 8 months old. We believed Israel was an ideal place to raise Jewish kids. We looked forward to a life filled with religious inspiration, national unity, freedom, and independence for our children. And that's exactly what we got. Twenty years later, we find ourselves sending our son into war. A strange cacophony of thoughts and emotions flood my brain at this moment. I am afraid. Proud. Hopeful. Even thankful. Our son has been cast into the role of our protector. This is so strange, when for the last 20 years we have always been the ones to protect him. We all want our little kids to feel safe. But as they mature, a necessary part of growth is to come to the adult understanding that we must protect ourselves and our loved ones. And our people. Especially as Jews, we cannot depend on anyone else to ensure our nation's safety. The lessons we've learned from thousands of years of Jewish history have taught us that. My son, the soldier, knows this. When he entered the army, I never really imagined that he would be heading into a combat zone. I am frightened. But I am also so proud that he has stepped into the role of a defender of our people, one who sets out to protect our safety as Jews in a world of uncertainty. As scared as I am at this moment, I am completely at peace with our decision to raise our family here.
2023-10-19 00:00:00
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