MTA alumnus Chanoch Aminsky (‘15) led a Q & A session in Ivrit in Morah Liora Haibi’s Israel Today class for juniors, which focuses on current events in Israel. The class recently learned about events related to the Israeli Army and had the opportunity to ask Aminsky questions about his experience as a member of the Golani Brigade, the only IDF infantry brigade that has operated continuously since the establishment of the army.

The Golani Brigade is comprised of four battalions stationed throughout Judea and Samaria and on each of Israel’s borders. Students prepared questions in advance and the entire conversation was held in Ivrit, to help students practice their conversational skills. A former student of Morah Haibi’s, Aminsky discussed the challenges he faced when joining the IDF, including physical conditioning, learning to speak Ivrit fluently and the exhaustion many soldiers contend with on a daily basis. He also shared stories about the relationships he built with the soldiers in his unit.

Aminsky, a Queens native, joined the IDF after attending Yeshivat Har Etzion’s hesder program and will return to the United States in the fall to attend Yeshiva University. Students enjoyed the opportunity to converse in Ivrit and learn more about what life is like for an IDF soldier. Aminsky was happy to return to MTA and share his experiences and looks forward to seeing the students he met on campus next year.