על התדרדרות בצבא
אז כן, אני זוכרת שהבלוג הזה קיים.. מדי פעם אני חושבת לעצמי, וואלה, אולי אני אחדש אותו? בד"כ המחשבה העוקבת היא "בעצם, לא..", אבל הפעם החלטתי שכן. חפרתי קצת.
:)
In light of Yom Kippur and the new year and all that jazz... I was thinking about where my service has taken me as a person. Or where it takes people in general.
ok, I'm going to DIG in a big way, but whatever, I'm really just writing for me :)
When people talk about the army, or rather, religious girls joining the IDF as their national service, many say it's not a good idea. The army is basically a downhill slope, you're around people who lead a different lifestyle.. Things that are taboo become ok... You have to take orders from boys... wear pants... But you know what, if you know who you are and what your limits are, the army is just like any framework you're going to meet in life. A girl can do plenty of stupid things no matter where she is. That's not where the slope is. (Yeah, this paragraph sounds really corny. But it's true, and I'm about to give some examples.)
Example - during the army I learnt about all the best pubs in Tel Aviv. That doesn't mean I'm going to go there and get piss drunk and have sex and do drugs and eat cheesburgers every Friday night. Ok, the list I just gave is about all the bad things a girl can do - at least in the circles that I grew up in. And I'm very glad I grew up in these circles. I also learnt, however, that for many people - very good and wonderful people - that is exactly their Friday night schedule, because that's what you do on weekends (generally minus the drugs, because those are illegal). So I learnt some very valuable lessons - you know how we're taught to accept people? - well now I can do it in practice :)
Example 2 - I learnt some pretty good (and very creative) curses. I also learnt that people who use these curses are well-aware that they are curses, and they turn to me (as the religious POC) and apologize for cursing. In effect, this is how I am reminded not to use these words :) And when you know that it's rude, you don't curse. So this isn't really the slope either.
((I'm adding a paragraph about halacha, just because I think it's important. It doesn't need to be read, it just has to be here, cool?
Kashrut - not a problem in the army, because all the kitchens have to be kosher. You just have to ask your friends not to bring chametz on pesach, and you can't really use the microwave in the office with your food uncovered. If you go out with friends, go online and check for kosher resturaunts in the area. Otherwise just get a coffee (coffee is coffee no matter where you are :).
Tfila - you can ask to daven three times a day. In fact, you could probably ask for five times a day, but then you wouldn't really be a good Jewish girl, either :). They have to give you time. Once you're in a position that you can take breaks whenever you want, it's up to you. I, for instance, figure that I take a break for mincha once I reach the point of day when I start going crazy from sitting in front of the computer all the time...
Shabbat - the IDF, being the army of a Jewish state, cannot order a soldier to do melacha on shabbat, unless it's for operational / security purposes. And even then, you learn what you can and can't do. Leave the comouter on before shabbat so you don't have to turn it on; you can type, but save only if the information will get lost otherwise; make phone calls if they can't be pushed off; send work-related e-mails if the receiver is also in the office - if they won't be there until Sunday, wait until after shabbat; do any work you have to in order for the most accurate information to reach the relevant people on time, because that's what you're there for.
Kli Gever - this one's a little tricky, because during basic training when your uniform is baggy and you're carrying a weapon, everybody looks the same. Well, for the time being, girls shoes are not identical to boys shoes, and girls can wear jewelery and grow their hair long. Take advantage of this and look feminine, if only because you can :). ))
So where's the problem with the army?
This is the way I see it. Not everyone will agree. But some will.
Situation #1 - I have kitchen duty tomorrow. That means that by 10:00 today I have to call the poor girl who's in charge of kitchen duty on the base and tell her that I'm aware that I have kitchen duty. I forgot to call. Well, I didn't actually forget - I had a reminder pop up on my screen, but I snoozed it because I was in the middle of something. Now it's 10:05. I could get into trouble for this, being the army and all.. So I let out an "oh, crap", and my friends' automatic reaction is "say you were in a shift"; "say you live far away and you just got here"; "say you didn't know"; etc. Basically, you're encouraged to lie. It's natural, how else will you stay out of trouble? It becomes automatic, "say you forgot", "say you lost it", "say you have an appointment", "say..."... You get used to it, it's a slope. You start thinking that lying is ok. That's where you have to step back and remind yourself that this is not the way things are supposed to be.
Situation #2 - I'm working with someone. Actually, not with - opposite. The difference is that they're in a different office. We don't have the same job - so we're in a position that we have to join efforts in order to accomplish the work. This means that we each have our own training and different instructions - and we have to coordinate, because otherwise we can't move forward. The problem? We're each sure that we know the best way to work. It makes it really difficult to work with people sometimes. The natural reaction is to whisper to the friend sitting next to you "uch, I can't stand working with her!", and your friend, being a good friend, answers "yeah, I know, she's terrible!". Or maybe I'm working under someone. She never makes mistakes, ever. And she knows it. And you bash her behind her back, because you could never insult her to her face. And you get used to talking about people behind their backs, and insulting them, and making sure other people know that certain people are a pain-in-the-posterior. Personally, I always tried to be careful with what I said. I'm a big believer that lashon hara kills. But of course, you get used to it. It's another situation where you have to step back and remind yourself what values are important.
Basically, the problems that I've been experiencing in the army are lies and gossip. Yes, those are meaningful issues. So that's what I have to pay attention to this coming year. There's more, probably, but these really are the most significant things.
And for the record, I'm really happy I decided to join the IDF after all :)
:)
In light of Yom Kippur and the new year and all that jazz... I was thinking about where my service has taken me as a person. Or where it takes people in general.
ok, I'm going to DIG in a big way, but whatever, I'm really just writing for me :)
When people talk about the army, or rather, religious girls joining the IDF as their national service, many say it's not a good idea. The army is basically a downhill slope, you're around people who lead a different lifestyle.. Things that are taboo become ok... You have to take orders from boys... wear pants... But you know what, if you know who you are and what your limits are, the army is just like any framework you're going to meet in life. A girl can do plenty of stupid things no matter where she is. That's not where the slope is. (Yeah, this paragraph sounds really corny. But it's true, and I'm about to give some examples.)
Example - during the army I learnt about all the best pubs in Tel Aviv. That doesn't mean I'm going to go there and get piss drunk and have sex and do drugs and eat cheesburgers every Friday night. Ok, the list I just gave is about all the bad things a girl can do - at least in the circles that I grew up in. And I'm very glad I grew up in these circles. I also learnt, however, that for many people - very good and wonderful people - that is exactly their Friday night schedule, because that's what you do on weekends (generally minus the drugs, because those are illegal). So I learnt some very valuable lessons - you know how we're taught to accept people? - well now I can do it in practice :)
Example 2 - I learnt some pretty good (and very creative) curses. I also learnt that people who use these curses are well-aware that they are curses, and they turn to me (as the religious POC) and apologize for cursing. In effect, this is how I am reminded not to use these words :) And when you know that it's rude, you don't curse. So this isn't really the slope either.
((I'm adding a paragraph about halacha, just because I think it's important. It doesn't need to be read, it just has to be here, cool?
Kashrut - not a problem in the army, because all the kitchens have to be kosher. You just have to ask your friends not to bring chametz on pesach, and you can't really use the microwave in the office with your food uncovered. If you go out with friends, go online and check for kosher resturaunts in the area. Otherwise just get a coffee (coffee is coffee no matter where you are :).
Tfila - you can ask to daven three times a day. In fact, you could probably ask for five times a day, but then you wouldn't really be a good Jewish girl, either :). They have to give you time. Once you're in a position that you can take breaks whenever you want, it's up to you. I, for instance, figure that I take a break for mincha once I reach the point of day when I start going crazy from sitting in front of the computer all the time...
Shabbat - the IDF, being the army of a Jewish state, cannot order a soldier to do melacha on shabbat, unless it's for operational / security purposes. And even then, you learn what you can and can't do. Leave the comouter on before shabbat so you don't have to turn it on; you can type, but save only if the information will get lost otherwise; make phone calls if they can't be pushed off; send work-related e-mails if the receiver is also in the office - if they won't be there until Sunday, wait until after shabbat; do any work you have to in order for the most accurate information to reach the relevant people on time, because that's what you're there for.
Kli Gever - this one's a little tricky, because during basic training when your uniform is baggy and you're carrying a weapon, everybody looks the same. Well, for the time being, girls shoes are not identical to boys shoes, and girls can wear jewelery and grow their hair long. Take advantage of this and look feminine, if only because you can :). ))
So where's the problem with the army?
This is the way I see it. Not everyone will agree. But some will.
Situation #1 - I have kitchen duty tomorrow. That means that by 10:00 today I have to call the poor girl who's in charge of kitchen duty on the base and tell her that I'm aware that I have kitchen duty. I forgot to call. Well, I didn't actually forget - I had a reminder pop up on my screen, but I snoozed it because I was in the middle of something. Now it's 10:05. I could get into trouble for this, being the army and all.. So I let out an "oh, crap", and my friends' automatic reaction is "say you were in a shift"; "say you live far away and you just got here"; "say you didn't know"; etc. Basically, you're encouraged to lie. It's natural, how else will you stay out of trouble? It becomes automatic, "say you forgot", "say you lost it", "say you have an appointment", "say..."... You get used to it, it's a slope. You start thinking that lying is ok. That's where you have to step back and remind yourself that this is not the way things are supposed to be.
Situation #2 - I'm working with someone. Actually, not with - opposite. The difference is that they're in a different office. We don't have the same job - so we're in a position that we have to join efforts in order to accomplish the work. This means that we each have our own training and different instructions - and we have to coordinate, because otherwise we can't move forward. The problem? We're each sure that we know the best way to work. It makes it really difficult to work with people sometimes. The natural reaction is to whisper to the friend sitting next to you "uch, I can't stand working with her!", and your friend, being a good friend, answers "yeah, I know, she's terrible!". Or maybe I'm working under someone. She never makes mistakes, ever. And she knows it. And you bash her behind her back, because you could never insult her to her face. And you get used to talking about people behind their backs, and insulting them, and making sure other people know that certain people are a pain-in-the-posterior. Personally, I always tried to be careful with what I said. I'm a big believer that lashon hara kills. But of course, you get used to it. It's another situation where you have to step back and remind yourself what values are important.
Basically, the problems that I've been experiencing in the army are lies and gossip. Yes, those are meaningful issues. So that's what I have to pay attention to this coming year. There's more, probably, but these really are the most significant things.
And for the record, I'm really happy I decided to join the IDF after all :)
posted by Leenie ;-) at 3:09 pm
2 comments
