Special to WorldTribune.com

TEL AVIV — Israel’s military reports a record number of recruits
from the United States.

The Israel Defense Forces said 350 American Jewish teenagers have
enlisted in the military over the last few months. In a statement, the
military said this marked a record number of Americans who decided to join
the Israel Army.

“The majority of these highly motivated, Zionistic teenagers wish to be drafted into combat and infantry units,” the military said on July 23. “A select group will even join the most classified, elite commando units in the IDF.”

The statement provided rare details of the recruitment of American
teenagers by the Israeli military. Officials said more than 20 percent of the military was comprised of new immigrants.

“This is the best answer to Iran’s and Hizbullah’s terror activity,”
said Erez Halfon, deputy director of Nefesh B’Nefesh, which facilitated the military program from the United States, “Jewish teenagers from North America who leave behind the easy life for the Zionistic ideal.”

The military said the volunteers would fly from the United States to
Israel in August in the first stage toward citizenship in the Jewish state. The arrivals were expected to also receive help from the Israeli government for housing and other benefits.

Officials said some 70 percent of Americans who completed the military
remained in Israel. They said volunteers were also arriving from countries
in Europe, South America and the former Soviet Union.

  Erez Halfon, immigrants comprise 20 percent of Israel’s military, Israel Defense Forces, Record number of American Jews enlist in Israeli military