Understanding Lone Soldiers: My Personal Challenge
by David Besnainou
Last week, more than one thousand Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) lone soldiers were mobilized near Gaza to protect Israel. Many of them lived amid cellular silence, cut off from their loved ones. They nervously waited in the long, cold night, uncertain of the future.
These men and women traveled from around the world to come together for a higher purpose. They were the friends you cherished in high school and the classmates you looked up to in college. They left their families and friends to pursue a dream and ensure lasting peace in Israel. They are young Jews who celebrate life and strive for a better tomorrow.
I admire these brave souls and reflect on my responsibility to them and the people of Israel.
How can I, a slightly overeager young man, affect their lives and make a difference in the world? Where do I start?
As I begin my professional career, I am discovering a passion for running. I have decided to combine this hobby with creative writing and have set a goal for myself: to run a half-marathon - and eventually a full marathon!
I have just signed up for the Rock and Roll Half-Marathon on March 16, 2013 in Washington D.C. Having never run long distance before, I plan to document my training through this blog, to continuously connect people through my commitment to this race with the Lone Soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces.
I hope to inspire you to follow my new found enthusiasm for running as I share it with the world and to consider the tests - physical and otherwise - that the young men and women who choose to become Lone Soldiers experience.
I hope you will join me along this voyage in their honor, promoting an awareness of how we can connect, identify with, and admire their courage.
Are you interested in joining me?
Come and run this race in support of IDF Lone Soldiers!
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