Brothers Reunited

In 2014, I returned to Israel after having been already a year out of the IDF and decided to surprise my unit that were in their last few weeks serving. I had kept it a secret that I was flying from LA to Israel and decided to surprise them on the base they were currently stationed at.

The bond that we created, and still have to this day, cannot be explained in words. We are a family that was built over our shared experiences, struggles, and clear mission in protecting every human life living in the land.

In this modern day, the generalization and dehumanization of human beings to fit certain political agendas or to weaponize hatred in order to pin against others, happens too often on all sides.

I joined the IDF at 17-years-old, which is around the time that every other Israeli is summoned for a mandatory conscription. We were just teenagers finishing high school and being drafted to protect our home. While most of the world's teenagers our age started their careers, traveled, or went off to university campuses, we gave up our freedom and years of our lives to take part in the survival of our restored civilization and to protect the millions of real human beings living in Israel. I say "real human beings" because so many think of the IDF, or even just an "Israeli", and right away are triggered and assume the worst due to the prejudice and baseless hatred they unfortunately carry.

Let me make something clear. No system or individual is perfect, and there are plenty of bad individuals in every society or hierarchy. However, taking a tainted brush and painting over all Israelis only brings more darkness on this Earth, as it would and does when done to any other human collectives.

This moment caught on film is one of my most cherished memories and one that I choose to share now almost 7 years later. Humanity exists in all of us. We are all connected and living beings on this singular planet. There are infinite amount of ways to spread light and one of the most basic ways is by humanizing those that we were taught to hate. Those that we were convinced had no humanity, no feelings, no desires, no pains, and no aspirations.

We are all human. ONE.