Amid the call-up of hundreds of thousands of Israelis into the reserves, a diverse array of individuals found themselves in service, including parents, recent South American travelers, and those unaccustomed to military life.
Among these, Paz and Omer, both tattooed residents of Tel Aviv, chose to set aside their daily routines and step into the world of reserve service in the artillery.
From Pilates to the field
Omer said she was at home in Tel Aviv preparing to attend a Pilates class when her commander called her up and said she needed to deploy. Like many Israelis, she put her plans on hold since the onset of the conflict:
"I was supposed to open a larger tattoo studio the morning after the war began, but everything came to a halt. For a month now, we've been living completely different lives," Omer said.
Paz, a close friend of Omer whom she met in artillery training, also realized that her routine would be disrupted: "The first alarms caught me at my partner's house. We didn't hear the initial alarm. I turned on the news and realized it was our turn. I waited for a phone call from the commander, and it was just a matter of time."
For a month, these two female reservists have been far from home:
"Our lives haven't been 'IDF' for more than six years. It's challenging and strange initially, but you adapt quickly. We've lost many colleagues, and I lost a very close friend. We comprehend the enormity of the responsibility in what we do," one of the women said.
Part of a team
"I'm part of a team entirely composed of men," Paz said. "As an only child, it's not new, but you have to revert to being less of a woman and experience the entire situation anew. However, the team around me is wholly supportive and helpful."
Despite the differences, challenges, and intricacies, both women concur on their purpose.
They mourned the loss of close friends on that fateful Sabbath, and the indelible events will stay with them, much like the rest of the nation, for a long time.
Upon returning home after the war, Omer has a pledge: to tattoo the family and friends of a friend who fell victim to violence at a party near Kibbutz Re'im.
"We are the most united nation globally," the soldiers added, "and that's why we face resentment—because it's something extraordinary. No nation feels the mental strength that we acquire from a young age—that we have each other.
"Only together will we triumph. Proud to be Jewish, proud to be Israeli, absolutely. I believe the entire country shares this sentiment."
The Jerusalem Post and OneFamily are working together to help support the victims of the Hamas massacre and the soldiers of Israel who have been drafted to ensure that it never happens again.