Comments on Israeli by Day, American by Night: Yusuf And Yosef

Nathan - Thanks for your comment. You found the b...

2012-02-17T03:46:05.179+02:00

Nathan - Thanks for your comment. You found the best lone soldier blog out there, so keep reading!

But honestly, no one can tell you what your experience would be like. Every one is different. You might go into a special forces unit, then you'd have a massively different one than I had. Or you might get stuck being a jobnik or artillery or something, and a massively different experience. Or even the exact same unit I was in could be 100% different based on the guys in the platoon. You know what I mean?

Good luck to you.

Danny

Powerful stuff man. I just happened across this bl...

2012-02-16T23:29:59.966+02:00

Powerful stuff man. I just happened across this blog. I am thinking of making aliyah next year and I am reading some of these lone soldier blogs to get a sense of what the army is really like.

Thanks
Nathan

Boring as hell followed by moments of sheer terror...

2011-04-26T03:44:45.642+03:00

Boring as hell followed by moments of sheer terror - enjoy it!

good stuff man. i wonder what my lonely nights on...

2011-04-25T18:44:25.951+03:00

good stuff man.

i wonder what my lonely nights on a post will be like in Givati.

Thanks, Israeli Adler. This kid had so much darkn...

2010-09-27T18:10:55.471+02:00

Thanks, Israeli Adler. This kid had so much darkness surrounding his life, so I created dark imagery to match. I'm just a simple metaphorical man.

"nothingness hiding no-one-ness"... you&...

2010-09-24T18:00:08.121+02:00

"nothingness hiding no-one-ness"... you're a genius, Danny.

I like your prose. You do an amazing job of describing the soldier life.

"Dark jeans and a dark shirt with Hebrew writing, black, greasy hair, and the complexion of the Middle East. Arab. Forbidden." -beautiful.

"What I will never understand is the capacity for indifference I’ve witnessed here"

Amazing post, well-written too! Made me feel like ...

2010-08-04T12:36:58.273+03:00

Amazing post, well-written too! Made me feel like I was there, in a way. I've definitely gone through similar trains of thought on the 'conflict' and it's generally left me feeling lost. It reminded me of when I was in my first year of being Israeli and was looking around for all the answers. Thanks for sharing this! I hope the army is going alright for you.

Hey! I'm about to enter the army, though as a ...

2010-06-07T20:18:43.430+03:00

Hey! I'm about to enter the army, though as a girl I'll probably be a jobnick. Your post was just so thoughtful that I read through it twice, and I'm posting it on my facebook. This is probably the best piece I've read about the situation in a very long time...

Hey Danny, great piece of writing.. I really love...

2010-04-04T20:09:51.179+03:00

Hey Danny,

great piece of writing.. I really loved reading it! Keep on writing more of that good stuff :-)

Now, to all those arguing that the "Yusufs" are a lost cause, but the "Yosefs" are not: Danny never said that all Arabs raise their children in this way. If this is the only message you take with you from this article, you should read it again. And if you haven't gotten it then, read it another time – until you get it.

If at all, both are lost causes. Because Yosef will never fully understand why his arab neighbor Yusuf has to live like a second class citizen. They will never play football together or share the same classroom. If Yosef wants to visit his aunt or uncle in the next village, he will not have to cross three checkpoints – he'll just take the highway. His father might come home angry about bad business due to the economic downturn or the EU not allowing for imports from settlers - but not due to a lockdown of a whole part of the city. His older cousins will tell him about university and the IDF - not about the random arrests and the occasional beatings because of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
He'll never learn to understand his neighbor. And that's partly because he has all the things Danny described so vivantly!

On the other hand: Yusuf. Great, so he and his family are at least allowed to enter their houses after crossing their own personal checkpoint, which only was put there in the first place because some "western looking" squatters came to the house opposite the street claiming it their own. Soccer in front of the house his family has lived in since generations? Forbidden. Security risk. Bigger birthday parties with his buddies at his place? No way. To many unknown faces, says the guy with the gun and the body armor. Finishing Highschool? Sure, says his dad, but only if the business is running fine. University in Ramallah or even Tel-Aviv? Hell, no! Only with special permission! And after traveling three times the amount his neighbor Yosef would for the same distance.
Now, are his parents to blame for the shortcomings in raising and feeding him? Sure, they are as well. It's not excusable! But it has nothing to due with them being muslim. It has something to do with poverty, lack of education and having no future.

So, what's the result of both growing up like this? In the end, ten years later, both Yusuf and Yosef will be adults, both raised without compassion for the other side. Both will be sure they are the victims. Both will think they have any right to think that way. Both will think the other side is totally wrong. And both will instill the same stupid prejudice and hate into their children, handing forth the flame of the middle-east conflict to the next generation...
and both will tell their sons the other one is a lost cause.

Unless, there are more guys like Danny, putting things into perspective for both of them – so that one day, when their dad's tell them the same bullshit they've been told by their dads before, Yusuf and Yosef start to ask them the right questions and seek to find the right answers!

This "He’s got the good life. Us soldiers, on...

2010-04-04T15:58:02.643+03:00

This "He’s got the good life. Us soldiers, on the other hand, we're the ones putting it on the line." is only part of the story. Too many civilians have also been put not only on the line but into the ground, including my neighbor's brother Aaron Gross, no-quite-one year old Shahevet and others. But very good writing.

They aren't getting battered up. War happens,...

2010-03-30T20:52:57.246+03:00

They aren't getting battered up. War happens, and people get hurt. But don't forget that they also killed the terrorists, and in my experience from when I did the army in the 90's, they kill a lot more than the news reports. Trust me on that.

But you guessed it, they are the front line of it all. Of course they're going to be targeted. They always get their man though.

why does is seem like golani 12 is always getting ...

2010-03-30T01:29:54.874+03:00

why does is seem like golani 12 is always getting battered up?
(what happened last friday)

Are they basically like the Marines or something, where they are the first to go into the hot spot.

so dude, hows the check from google, is it like en...

2010-03-28T21:10:05.263+03:00

so dude, hows the check from google, is it like enough for gas money, food money, or what? (advertisements)
Because im condsidering opening up a blog of my own.

Thanks

Keep safe my friend! You're in my heart and pr...

2010-03-28T09:58:07.193+03:00

Keep safe my friend! You're in my heart and prayers! May the LORD watch over you always. I'm in america..but I feel my purpose is Israel. One day God willing I will be there to serve my country-ISRAEL. Long live the state of Israel..and much peace and love to my brothers and sisters there! G-d bless you.

Ahem. Locking your child out of the house all day...

2010-03-27T21:09:27.552+03:00

Ahem. Locking your child out of the house all day in a "dangerous area" is somehow the Israelis' fault?

How is that anything BUT neglect?

Haha, davinia, your conception of the area is way ...

2010-03-27T02:05:52.085+03:00

Haha, davinia, your conception of the area is way off. It's not Africa were people starve to death, the area has plenty of food. It may not be a luxurious place where they live, but obtaining food is not a problem. And I gather the Arab family he is talking about is actually doing OK .They basically have their own private entrance, remember the names on the list, thus they are owners of some business/property there. And all this "intimidation" stuff is funny, clearly no one was scared of him, they might have not liked him, but no one feared the 6'4 giant, especially the kid.

Did you consider the fact that maybe that family d...

2010-03-25T11:52:41.388+02:00

Did you consider the fact that maybe that family did not have enough food to have an evening meal?
I dont think so.
You sat and wrote a story based on your preconceived notions about the circumstances of that family.
Put yourself in the shoes of that Palestinian boy and his mothers, can you even begin to imagine how you would have intimidated them.
You have even condemend people like me before we have said anything by calling us haters.
Which says alot about your attitude towards anything and anyone who does not agree with your obviously narrow view on life.

ok.....maybe there were some sweeping statements.....

2010-03-24T19:12:16.218+02:00

ok.....maybe there were some sweeping statements....i would have said the same before my experience of living here.I used to get really angry about the negative things i heard said about muslim arabs from both the christian and jewish sides...being a naive brit i thought some of the things said were absolutely outrageous......but after having lived here in Nazareth for 13 year and experiencing the behaviour of most (NOT ALL!!!!!)muslim arabs i have to agree with Danny....and he did say at the end that jewish extremists were just as bad.I really felt that he was trying to be as impartial as he could...under the circumstances...forgive me for my terrible typing!!!

Actually it is true. From someone who worked in th...

2010-03-24T06:03:24.586+02:00

Actually it is true. From someone who worked in the region (mainly Arab states), they treat their kids like workhorses (except the elite). And I'm guessing it's worse in this particular area because of the glorification of suicide bombers on every corner. Besides, obviously the kid wasn't scared of him (or the other French IDF soldier). You are clearly brainwashed, thinking IDF soldiers just torture for amusement.

I suggest you look at some of those Hamas shows for kids, or enjoy some of those "heroic suicide bomber" posters of 14 year olds plastered on walls throughout many Arab towns.

Oh, and AK 47? That's the weapon of choice for your Muslim brethren, not the IDF.

This is warm and all but completely bias. It is al...

2010-03-23T06:28:36.419+02:00

This is warm and all but completely bias. It is all one sided and untrue. You make it seem that Arabs are animals and don't care for their children and are just interested in how many wives they have. I also think Yusuf's mother loves her son as does any parent and was probably just frightened from an israeli solider who is fully equipped with body armor and holding an AK 47. Also, you mention poor parenting? That is complete nonsense in that Arab parents like any other parents want the best for their children, but it is kind of hard to achieve those means when there are check points every couple miles and their lives are always at risk. You also mentioned the 14 year old jewish boy as "normal" and just wanting to live a regular life in contrast with Yusuf who is neglected based on the reasoning he was looking for his brother. What makes you think his mothers weren't at the hospital visiting their husband who was probably tortured by Israeli soldiers? This is a very obvious pro israeli trying to manipulate his audience in thinking Jews are the victims and Arabs are savages. As much as I tried to be inspired by your story Danny, I was just soo drawn back because of how one sided and in accurate your statements were. The entirety of your story consisted of blanket statements and generalizations, which takes a way from your creditability. Maybe, you should try not to put all the blame on the Arab side to give your "story" some validity. Your a good writer which makes your story compelling, but just as smart as you are, your ignorance was displayed. Have a nice day.

i reread the story twice and wow inspiring as alwa...

2010-03-22T00:48:39.150+02:00

i reread the story twice and wow inspiring as always. With your permission i will copy and past the link of this blog to my facebook. thank you again for the insight stay safe.
-avraham

I'm sure the IDF could use officers like you. ...

2010-03-21T05:32:18.590+02:00

I'm sure the IDF could use officers like you. So, what are your plans after the IDF, given that you are finished in 6 months? You still have to do reserves though, right?

thats awesome man. If i stay and commit U.S Army ...

2010-03-21T02:40:27.270+02:00

thats awesome man. If i stay and commit U.S Army then I'll learn combatives too.
It would be awesome to be taught how to kick the living sh*t out of someone.
I'm sure you Golani guys would love to kick some ass, especially those that deserve it. And hopefully, at the very least, teach 'them' a basic and fundamental lesson not to mess with the IDF because the IDF will tear sh*t up.
Keep on writing man and thanks for the awesome insight.

Good stuff. Stay safe.

2010-03-19T20:29:46.879+02:00

Good stuff. Stay safe.

Oh, and thank you to everyone who posted such nice...

2010-03-18T15:50:14.276+02:00

Oh, and thank you to everyone who posted such nice comments! Feel free to argue against the haters for me - אין לי כוח