Students at RKYHS were fortunate to hear from IDF Brigadier General Nechemya Sokol, whose visit to the US included meetings at the Pentagon, top universities and West Point. General Sokol is the IDF Technology and Logistics Branch chief of staff. In this senior role, General Sokol has vast responsibilities including overseeing the supply chain of land, air and sea in times of war and times of calm, he is responsible for all autonomous weapons in the IDF—those not manned by humans— and is in charge of identifying and implementing the technology used to block the terror tunnels.

In his unique role, General Sokol illustrated some of the ways that technology is playing a role in the IDF, another key area that Sokol oversees. Students were amazed to learn about the use of 3D printers in the field, with examples of how Israel is the leader in the application of 3D printing. It was truly astounding to learn that food rations and spare parts can be 3D printed right in the field to reduce the footprint of what is taken with them. Food rations are being 3D printed through the use of protein, fat and carbohydrate powders, ensuring troops have appropriate rations while out in the field. The role of social media in the battlefield was also discussed. General Sokol explained how if a platoon is in Lebanon or Gaza and needs to re-supply, it typically would need to go through a chain of command. In the future, a platoon commander can identify his/her needs via internal social media and another platoon that is located nearby will be able to share whatever ammunition, food or whatever else is needed with them.

General Sokol answered questions from students ranging from the technology being used to identify and destroy the terror tunnels and prevent new ones from being built, to the values and morality of the IDF and the increase in the ultra Orthodox in its ranks. As the students are only a few years apart from their counterparts serving in the IDF, they took General Sokol’s words to heart as he described the great responsibility he bears overseeing thousands and thousands of troops, including his own children.While he maintained that it was his honor to speak to future Jewish leaders, the honor truly belonged to the RKYHS students who were fortunate to welcome such an esteemed general of the IDF to their school.