This photograph was taken in 1984 and depicts three young people distributing apples and honey to an IDF soldiers next to a bus stop. The sign reads “Apples and Honey for Our Soldiers” and bears the names of three sponsors of the project: Shagrir, Gal Galei Tzahal, and the Fruit Marketing Board. Shagrir is a car repair business, Gal Galei Tzahal is the army radio station, and the Fruit Marketing Board promotes Israeli fruit. The young male soldier on the left is reaching for an apple from the box being offered to him. His uniform indicates that he belongs to one of the ground force units and that he has the rank of sergeant. The three people distributing the apples and honey are wearing casual clothes; one is wearing a T-shirt with the Shagrir logo. One of the group is holding a box containing apples and another is holding a box with what appears to be small jars of honey.
Apples and honey are traditional Rosh Hashanah foods representing the beginning of a sweet new year.
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Rosh Hashanah – Rosh Hashanah is the celebration of the Jewish New Year which takes place on the first two days of the Hebrew month of Tishrei. It is celebrated by blowing the shofar, lighting candles, eating festive meals, and attending services at the synagogue. Rosh Hashanah is the first of the High Holy days which end 10 days later with Yom Kippur. The ten-day period is called the Ten Days of Repentance, because it is believed that during this period a person’s deeds are judged and the future year is decided. It is a both a festive holiday and a solemn time of introspection which includes prayer, asking forgiveness from others, and giving tzedakah (charity). The prayers on Rosh Hashanah include asking God for a peaceful, prosperous, and healthy year. Rosh Hashanah also celebrates the creation of the world. People greet each other on Rosh Hashanah by saying: “Shana Tova (Happy New Year).” Food customs for Rosh Hashanah vary among the different communities but often include round challahs (instead of the customary long loaf), apples and honey, and pomegranates. Many people send Shana Tova cards to their friends and family.
IDF - The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) was founded shortly after the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948. Before then there had been several military groups, but Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion officially unified them into one national army on May 26, 1948. The IDF consists of ground forces, air force, and navy. The IDF’s security objectives are: to defend the existence, territorial integrity, and sovereignty of the State of Israel; to deter all of Israel’s enemies; and to curb all forms of terrorism which threaten daily life. The IDF follows a code of ethics called the “Spirit of the IDF.” All soldiers are trained in this code and expected to obey it. Military service is compulsory for all Israeli citizens over the age of 18, although there are some exceptions: most notably, ultra-orthodox men who are studying in yeshivas and married women. Religious women have the option of doing sherut leumi (community service) instead of serving in the IDF. The general length of service is two years and eight months for men and two years for women. After completing regular service in the IDF, Israelis are obliged to join a reserve unit and continue serving as needed. Since the IDF touches the life of almost all Israelis, it also serves as a welfare institution by teaching and supporting disadvantaged soldiers and civilians in Israel and even abroad. Since its inauguration, volunteers from around the world have joined the IDF. Currently, soldiers from over 70 countries are serving in the IDF, with 25% of them coming from the United States.
