By Harry Glazer

For many supporters of the State of Israel, one aspect of Israeli society that they most admire is the skills, professionalism, sense of ethics and dedication of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). The IDF is not just one of the world’s most effective armies, it also excels at demonstrating an ethical sensibility in its actions and serves as a proven path of social integration and professional advancement for the young men and women who serve in its ranks.

One exemplar of the IDF’s strongest ideals is the Givati Brigade.

Initially founded in 1947, the Givati Brigade fought in southern Israel during the War of Independence and is credited with holding back a larger force of Egyptian troops and armored units (15,000 soldiers) by a much smaller force of soldiers (2,900 soldiers). The Givati Brigade lost 675 soldiers in that conflict, and the force’s bravery and skill is considered an essential part of Israel’s victory.

In the mid 1950s, the IDF changed the Givati Brigade into a reserve unit. In the early 1980s, drawing on lessons from the First Lebanon War, the IDF reconstituted the Givati Brigade—initially as the IDF’s version of the U.S. Marine Corps but later as a front-line infantry force. The brigade has become well known in the IDF as an elite force and is often tasked with pioneering the use of advanced new weapons on the battlefield.

The brigade has served in all the hotspots of Israel’s conflict zones. It was assigned to the security strip in Lebanon, until the withdrawal in 2000. It worked in the Gaza Strip until the withdrawal in 2005. It served in the Operation Protective Edge in Gaza in 2014, in which it flushed out and destroyed 50 infiltration tunnels prepared by Hamas forces. And it operates on the front lines of Yehuda and Shomron and on the Golan Heights. There are currently 3,500 soldiers serving in Givati and the force has about 35,000 alumni throughout Israel.

To preserve the legacy of the brigade, to help current soldiers focus on their responsibilities as fighters (by addressing urgent needs that might distract them) and to assist soldiers getting discharged in planning the next steps in their lives, veterans formed the Givati Brigade Association in 1985. In 2011, the 26 member board appointed Itzhak Levit as its chairman, and he continues to serve in that role.

Levit was an ideal choice for the chairman’s role. Born and raised in Eilat, he enlisted in the IDF in 1976 and served for six years in the Shayeret Shaked division, a special forces unit assigned to the IDF’s Southern Command, where he met his wife, Rivka (who served in the welfare unit, overseeing the concerns of soldiers). As he was about to get discharged, his commander from Sayeret Shaked persuaded Levit to join him in reconstituting the Givati Brigade.

Levit first served as deputy commander and later as the commander of one of the battalions of the Givati Brigade. While serving in Givati, he also earned a computer science degree at Machon Lev—the Jerusalem College of Technology. After being discharged from Givati, Levit launched his own high-tech startup firm in 1992 and worked for 30 years in the high-tech sector. He is currently chairman of the hi-tech firm CDI Systems, based in Beck Science Center in the Har Hotzvim industrial park of Jerusalem. Three of his and Rivka’s four children have served in the IDF, including their youngest daughter Shahar who currently serves as a firearms instructor in Givati’s advanced training program.

Levit visited the United States in January to advance the work of the Givati Brigade Association. He spoke to The Jewish Link and explained that the Association is active in four sectors:

1. The Association preserves the heritage of the Givati Brigade and perpetuates the memory of its fallen soldiers. The Association maintains a memorial hall for fallen soldiers and exhibits on the legacy of the Givati Brigade at their headquarters in Yoav Fortress (Metzudat Yoav) and preserves more than 50 monuments dedicated to the heroism of Israel’s Southern Defenders and Givati fallen soldiers in the Negev. It also supports the Brigade’s “Gold Star’ families through weekend retreats, special programs and memorial events at Metzudat Yoav.

2. The Association assists families of active-duty soldiers who struggle with food insecurity. Levit noted that on average, about 200 families of active soldiers suffer from severe levels of poverty. Right now, the Association is able to send baskets of food to 50 families each month, but hopes to raise the necessary funds to serve all the families in need. Their goal in supporting these families is to send the message to the soldiers on the front line: “We’ll take care of your family so you can focus on defending Israel.”

3. The Association provides direct support to lone soldiers in Givati, including soldiers who have come from 29 countries around the world to serve in the IDF, soldiers from broken homes and dysfunctional families, and soldiers from Haredi families who have disassociated from their children because they’ve chosen to serve. Right now, 11 of Givati’s lone soldiers come from New Jersey and nine come from New York.

4. The Association is active in three programs assisting soldiers in their discharge process and adaptation to civilian life. They conduct a mentoring program that matches newly discharged soldiers with elder veterans who have professional roles within Israel’s robust business economy. This program serves 30 soldiers, who have weekly meetings with their mentors.

In partnership with Kinneret Academic College and Israel’s Ministry of Defense, the Association provides five-year academic scholarships in engineering, which they currently provide to six soldiers annually and hope to increase to 25-30 annually in the near future.

In partnership with Tavor575, the Association has also developed a “Social Hi-Tech” program that enrolls discharged Givati soldiers in a six-month software writing boot camp. This training opens opportunities to the soldiers for internships and subsequent professions in the hi-tech sector, in jobs that provide service to disadvantaged parts of the population.

Levit shared that in this trip to the U.S., he concentrated on raising awareness of and funds for the Givati Brigade Association and exploring the possibility of building an American Friends of the Givati Brigade Association. He is planning his next trip to the U.S. in two months.

“Givati is not just a top-notch brigade; it’s a family,” Levit said. “Soldiers who serve in our brigade feel the extra care and concern we provide. They also see that bereaved families join us for our events. When someone partners with the Givati Brigade Association, they are supporting not just some of the best defenders of the State of Israel but also a family that takes care of its own.”

For more information on the Givati Brigade Association, please see: https://givati.org.il