Hey! Tell us a little about yourself!
Hi! My name is Eli Englard. I’m from Teaneck, New Jersey. For my post high school year in yeshiva, I attended Mechinat Atzmona, an Israeli army preparatory program for religious guys. After enlisting, I looked around for a home that offers a religious environment. Thank God, for Lev LaChayal! I just recently joined and it’s amazing, everything I was looking for. When I’m not in the army, I love cooking, fishing, playing guitar, and composing music.
Why did you decide to draft to the IDF?
My family claims that I decided to join the IDF already from an incredibly young age. The story they tell is that one day I came down the stairs and told my parents that I’m going to the army and making aliyah. I don’t remember what age it was. But, I was young.
I decided to draft into the IDF because I wanted to protect Israel. I felt like we all have a requirement to serve our nation. Throughout my life, I’ve always been the recipient and beneficiary of everyone else’s devotion. It was finally time for me to give back. The IDF does not just protect the physical boundaries of Israel. They protect the entire Jewish people around the globe. I felt the importance of being a part of that.
What do you do in the army?
I actually just finished a commanders course this week! I do not yet know where they will station me next. I hope to find out next week. Before I went to the commanders course, I was a negavist chod, a frontline light machine gunner.
Mazal tov! What was the commander’s course like?
The commanders course boils down to two things: Leadership and values.The first and perhaps biggest focus was on knowing why we are here and what our job is. Without that understanding we would not be able to lead. We also spent a lot of our time learning how to self-navigate, run various tactical jobs, and use explosives and other weapons our soldiers may need to use. Additionally, we spent a lot of time training for urban-warfare scenarios in a military city modeled like Gaza. I felt that the course prepared me well to effectively lead soldiers through whatever comes our way.
The course was definitely challenging. Our officers regularly woke us in the middle of the night to go on long hikes and training missions. Our final hike was in full gear for over 70 kilometers and spread out over three days. Every time we tried to go to sleep, they would wake us up, and we would need to continue moving. The last 20 kilometers of the hike were with stretchers, quite an exhausting experience. I am thrilled I made it through the march, as did all my comrades.
Could you explain what the active role of a commander is?
My job is to take care of my soldiers. Sometimes that means being an educational principal, ensuring that my soldiers are learning all the information they need with a proper curriculum and comprehension metrics. Other times, it means that I need to make sure their physical and emotional needs are taken care of. I need each individual soldier to feel like an important member of his team, accepted and appreciated. That is all part of a commander’s role.
In the event of war, things can quickly get incredibly chaotic. Having an organized army helps guarantee success. Creating payment is a big part of my job.
When and why did you decide to become a commander?
Two months into the army, my officers told me that they wanted to send me to the commanders course, right after basic training. Initially, I wasn’t sure if it was something I wanted to do nor if it was something I would even be capable of. I had never heard of an oleh chadash becoming a commander. I felt quite intimidated.
After about four months of training, I realized on my own that I was interested in the opportunity. I felt that in the role of a mifaked (Hebrew for commander), I could really help soldiers and the country. The army regularly faces the challenge of turning regular citizens into actual soldiers. It’s so critical, and now I can take part in this essential work. Once my guys become soldiers my job includes commanding them in actual combat.
Do you enjoy what you do in the army?
Very much so! I enjoyed my job as a negavist (Light machine gunner), and I have really loved my entire service so far. It’s something that is just so important, and, thank G-d, it’s been going incredibly well for me.
How has Lev LaChayal helped you throughout your IDF experience?
Lev LaChayal provides a stable place to come home to at the end of the week. I always know that when I come home, I have Shabbos taken care of. I have seder (Hebrew for payment)! When you’re in the army, you need seder. So often there’s simply no seder. To know that I have something stable in my life at the end of the day is incredibly important and comforting for me.
Any parting words?
For those looking to draft, it’s an excellent thing to do. In my diskit (army dog-tag), I have a paper that says precisely why I’m here and exactly why I should be a commander in the IDF. It’s a tremendous zechut (Hebrew for merit) to protect the land of Israel. Finally, after two thousand years, we have our country back. We talk about Israel every day in our Tefila, and it is the main focus of our Torah. Who am I to say no to protecting Israel? After two thousand years of waiting and praying for our land, I’m just going to say no? What gives me the right?
Thank you, Eli, for all you do in protecting Am Yisrael and Eretz Yisrael!
