Gadna week

After all our Purim celebrations at school, We got ready to leave for 4 days of Gadna.  

Before going to Gadna, we learned in class what it meant to be in the IDF. We learned about what it meant to have a Jewish state that we could defend without depending on anyone else. 

  

            

 When we got to Back to the Hava we started our Purim celebrations. We delivered Mishloach Manot to the elderly and we read the Megillah together.  In the afternoon we drove to the middle of nowhere to an IDF base called Sde Boker, which is across the kibbutz from where Ben Gurion lived (and is buried). When we got there, we were told the basic rules and we were divided into three different groups called Tzevets. My tzevet was made up of four boys and eight girls. The mefakedets (Leaders of the groups) were really intimidating. 

Me, Naomi, Erica and Gabi in our uniforms

After the first couple hours, we got our uniforms. We then went to an opening ceremony and at this point we had been standing for three hours. The mefakedets chose two people from each of the tzevets who were responsible for the group.  We had dinner and it was amazing compared to the food that we receive at the Hava. After dinner they gave us an hour to get ready before we go to sleep and in that hour we all took showers (except the majority of people in our group decided to take part in a challenge not to shower for four days, which was a terrible idea!!). 

When the hour was over, we got back in our Chet and the Mefakedet told us that we had to wake up at 5:30 the next morning. When we went to our tents, there was a mefakedet watching us sleep so we would not talk.

The next day it was our turn to do kitchen duty. We had to clean the whole dining area and kitchen. We washed everything down and did the dishes. To make it more fun, everyone started singing, of course we also sang Songs from 'Annie'.  We covered the entire dining room in soap water and we had to squeegee it-which took forever!!

The tents that we were in

            

 The next day it was the same routine. Wake up at 5:30, roll up the tents, get in uniform and be waiting for the mefakedet in a chet at 6. Whoever was late, whoever did not have a full water bottle and whoever was not standing in achshev (hands in a diamond behind back) was punished. That day we had 5 classes on how to fire a weapon and learned all of the safety rules.  We also went on a walk with our commanders to the site where David Ben-Gurion and his wife was buried. It was really interesting, learning about why they are buried in the Negev, where as all the other politicians are buried on Har Hertzl. 

Someone from my group Firing The M16

  The next day was the day that everyone was waiting for, the day we got to shoot the gun. When we got to the shooting range it was outdoors and it was very hot outside. We went 9 at a time and we shot laying down. We were ordered to sit down, then put our earmuffs on, lay down and pick up the gun, puck the magazine in the gun, cock the gun, turn the safety off, and fire. We had 5 shots. The day before, I decided that I didn't want to shoot the gun. I was really nervous of the power that I had with it. My commander understood, but lightly convinced me to try it.  We did not get to keep the target we got to shoot at but I wish we did because I wanted to see if I was good or not. I don't think I would want to try to shoot a gun, again. It was a good experience though and I'm glad that I took the opportunity. It's scary to know how easy it is to shoot a gun. Anyone can just pick one up and be in control of it.   We also took a Krav Maga class. It was a lot of fun!!

           

  The last day, we turned in our dirty, smelly uniforms and got into a circle with our mefakedet. She then told us to sit down. She opened up about herself and said that she was from Ranana. 

She also told us that we are the first group that has made her laugh, which we were all proud of!!  She told us that she is 7 months into her army service. 

By the end of Gadna we were all exhausted from waking up early, standing, and running around all day. When we got back to school on Friday Everyone started to say "Ken Mefakedet” to our teachers! It was an amazing week that I learned a lot in, and that I will never forget!