I stand at attention facing the Kotel Hama’aravi, the Western Wall, as the army ensemble begins to play. Only a few weeks ago I enlisted into the Paratroop Brigade of the Israeli Defense Forces, and tonight, I stand among hundreds of other new paratrooper recruits for our Hashba’ah, our official induction into the army. We pledge our allegiance to the State of Israel and swear to do anything and everything in our power to defend her.We begin to sing Israel’s national anthem, Hatikvah (The Hope). I imagine my ancestors singing this anthem in times of helplessness
and powerlessness, hoping for the creation of a Jewish state in the land of Israel.
Od lo avdah tikvateinu, Hatikvah bat shnot alpaim.
We haven’t lost our 2,000-year-old hope.
The words of our anthem speak to me as I stand with my fellow inductees. Tonight, I am part of a Jewish army. Tonight, it is my responsibility to ensure the existence of our Jewish State. Tonight, our dream is alive and my hope is renewed. Together we pledge to make the hope a reality.
Hatikvah: The hope that our children will not hear the words “kassam” and “katyusha.”
Hatikvah: The hope that our enemies will be defeated.
Hatikvah: The hope that I will serve more as a peacekeeper than as a fighter.
Tonight I do not sing our anthem passively. Tonight I become an active participant in our fight. May we never lose Hatikvah:
Lihiyot am chofshi b’artzeinu.
To be a free nation in our land.
Yoni Cooper recently immigrated to Israel and is currently serving in the elite combat unit of the Paratrooper Brigade.
