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Heroines of Israel- Women in the Bible and in the IDF

by jshyman123 | Mar 9, 2015 | lists | 0 comments

Heroines of Israel: Esther The Jews in ancient Persia enjoyed a cultural and economic level of comfort that is hard to match in the annals of Jewish history. However, their sense of security was dramatically shaken when King Ahasuerus signed off on his evil advisor’s plan to wipe out the Jewish people. Haman, in one of the paradigmatic episodes of anti-Semitism in the history of the Jewish people, diabolically plotted to eliminate the Jews from the Persian Empire. But there was one person he neglected to consider- Queen Esther. Esther had previously been selected from all of the maidens of the kingdom to be the king’s new wife. Unbeknownst to the rest of the royal court, Esther was a Jew. With a slight nudge from her uncle Mordekhai, Esther decided to take action. In an act of tremendous courage, resolve, and clever planning, Esther approached the king and asked for a royal audience, with Haman in attendance. At the royal feast, she dramatically revealed that Haman was planning on wiping out her people. King Ahasuerus, with sheer indignation, declared that Haman will be executed, and ultimately the Jews are saved. Though she risked nothing less than death with this bold plan, she decided to stand up and play an active role in the destiny of the Jewish people. Esther could have easily refrained from acting for a myriad of reasons, and simply enjoyed her unique status in the kingdom, while her people suffered at the hands of Haman. Instead, her courage, selfsacrifice, and loyalty to her nation remain a paragon of heroism for Jewish women to this very day.
Heroines of Israel: Yael Not many women in Jewish history can claim that they single handedly killed the general of an enemy army. Yael, who we are told lived by the oak in Tza’annanim, certainly can. The Book of Judges relates the story of the war between Yavin, king of Canaan, and the Jewish people. Sisera, the general of Yavin’s army, had nine hundred iron chariots, besides his foot soldiers. Nevertheless, God delivered Sisera’s army into the hands of the Jewish soldiers. Sisera, fleeing for his life, ran from the scene of the battle, and came across the tent of Yael. Here, Yael heroically springs into action. “Come in,” she called out. “Don’t be afraid.” Sisera entered her tent. Yael gently covered him with a blanket, and brought him something to drink. Though he asked for water, she cleverly brought him milk, which soon caused him to fall asleep. Seizing the opportunity, Yael grabbed a tent peg and a hammer. She quietly crept by his side, and then bravely banged the tent peg through the temple of his head, killing him on the spot. Barak, the general of the Jewish army, soon passed by, and Yael called out to him to let him know that his arch nemesis is dead- killed easily by the hand of a woman. Yael exhibited not only courage in inviting Sisera into her tent, but physical valor as well; Yael had enough determination to violently confront the mighty general of the Canaanites. This was not the last Jewish female soldier that the world would come to know and serves as an illustrious Biblical example for future heroines of Israel.
Heroines of Israel: Deborah According to Jewish tradition, Deborah was one of only seven female prophets that the Jewish people have ever witnessed. Her singularity lay in her ability to fill so many different functions. Deborah was perhaps first and foremost a scholar, a judge who sat beneath a palm tree on Mt. Ephraim, teaching, adjudicating, and inspiring others in the ways of the Torah. But she was also a political player. When Yavin, the king of Canaan, was threatening to take over the Jewish people in the Land of Israel, Deborah called for Barak, the skilled warrior from the tribe of Naphtali. She told him to prepare his men and to head out for battle against Yavin and his general Sisera. In a powerful moment that demonstrates just how influential of a leader Deborah was, Barak agreed but only on one condition: that she join him on his journey. At this point, Deborah exhibited her prophetic abilities as well; she prophesied that God will be with Barak and assist him in defeating the Canaanites which is exactly what happened. The Canaanites were handily defeated by Israel; even their general Sisera was defeated, at the hands of Yael. Finally, Deborah shows the full range of her talents by composing a soaring hymn to God, thanking Him for the salvation that He delivered that day. Not only is her righteousness clear to see, but her poetic skills, as well: Photo Credit: 'Deborah', Charles Landelle Hear, O kings; give ear O princes I will sing to the Lord I will intone melody to the God of Israel… They fought from heaven The stars in their courses fought against Sisera The wadi of Kishon swept them away That ancient brook, the brook of Kishon… So let all thy enemies perish, O Lord But let them that love him be like as the sun When it comes out in its might… (Judges 5)Heroines of Israel: Hannah Sensesh Born in Budapest, Hungary in 1921, Hannah Senesh always carried a love for poetry and the written word. Even as a young girl, Hannah kept a diary of her reflections. As she grew older, Senesh became drawn to the ideals of the Zionist movement, and in 1939, at the age of 18, she immigrated to Eretz Yisrael, the Land of Israel. A few years later, deeply troubled by the rise of Hitler back in Europe, Senesh left her beloved new homeland to volunteer for the British army. In 1943, Hannah was chosen for an Allied mission to parachute behind enemy lines in order to create contact with the Partisan forces, who were also working to undermine the brutal Nazi regime. In March of 1944, Senesh parachuted into Yugoslavia. After spending a few months with the Partisans, she crossed over into Hungary, her birthplace. She was immediately caught by the Hungarian authorities, who were allied with the Nazis. Through many months of torture and suffering, Hannah Senesh absolutely refused to reveal any information about the nature of her mission. Throughout her trial she courageously stood up for her beliefs and refrained from asking for clemency. Senesh was sentenced to death by firing squad. At the moment of her execution, she declined the offer to be blindfolded, preferring to stand tall and proud during her final moments of life. Following the war, Hannah’s remains were flown to Israel, where she was buried in the military cemetery on Mt. Herzl in Jerusalem. To this day, the legacy of Hannah Senesh remains as one of the most inspiring heroines the Jewish people has ever known. From her Zionist ideals, to her bravery as a member of the British paratroopers, and her astounding courage while undergoing physical and mental torture, Hannah Senesh will forever be a symbol of heroism.Heroines of Israel: Sarah Ahronson Sarah Aaronsohn was born in 1890 in the young settlement community of Zikhron Yaakov as a first generation of native Israeli Zionists. When World War I broke out in 1914, many of these young Zionists perceived the crisis as an opportunity in which the political landscape of Palestine could be transformed to advance the dream of Jewish self-determination and autonomy in their own land. With Aaronsohn at the helm, a young group of such idealists formed the organization “NILI” which was a Hebrew acronym of the verse from I Samuel (15:29), “The Eternal of Israel will not deceive.” NILI’s objective was to conduct espionage on behalf of the British. By working with the Allies to topple the Turks, the members of NILI hoped the British would come to power and reward the Jews by granting them an independent state in Palestine. Sarah Aaronsohn was the head of the clandestine NILI operation, receiving intelligence from the field agents, encoding it and transmitting it to the British authorities. In 1917, the Turks discovered what the members of NILI had been doing. In October of that year, Aaronsohn was arrested by the occupying Turkish army. Despite torture and interrogation, Sarah refused to disclose any information about NILI’s efforts on behalf of the British. Within a few days, Aaronsohn learned that she would be transferred to Siberia. Concerned about her ability to withstand further torture, she opted to take her own life instead. To this day, Sara Aaronsohn remains one of Israel’s most noble martyrs, risking her life to promote the eventual autonomy of the Jewish people, and ultimately sacrificing her life for that millennia-old dream.Heroines of Israel: Sarah Braverman Sarah Braverman, the “first lady of the IDF,” was born in Romania in 1918, and arrived in Israel when she was 20 years old. Here she became involved with the Israeli liberation movement, as it sought to gain independence from Britain and defend the Jewish community from Arab attacks. Braverman was one of the first women to join the Palmach, the special fighting forces of the Haganah, the forerunner of the Israeli army and was chosen to be one of three women in a group of 37 Palmach fighters to take part in the 1943 parachuting mission behind enemy lines into Nazi Europe along with Hannah Senesh. Braverman later said that she and the other volunteers were, “simple people who believed in what they were doing for their people.” After the creation of the State of Israel, Braverman helped establish the IDF Women’s Corps. In 2010, she was chosen to light one of the torches at the opening of Independence Day festivities, in recognition of her contributions to the state. Braverman recently passed away at the age of 94, the last surviving member of the group of Jewish parachutists. In commemorating her life, it was said that “the important events in Braverman’s life – her coming to live in the Land of Israel … her decision to become a soldier in the war against Nazi Germany, her joining the Palmach, and her active involvement in the founding of the IDF’s Women’s Corps – all these events are a living testimony and are a shining example of what she and many other members of her generation did to bring about the establishment of a Jewish state, the State of Israel.” Sarah Braverman truly lived up to her name. She was a brave and devoted Jewish heroine, who put her life on the line time and again to protect and defend her people.Heroines of Israel: Bat El Ohayon One of the most beautiful features of the State of Israel is its beautiful beaches. Miles and miles of glimmering coasts provide endless enjoyment for hundreds of thousands of beach-going citizens every year. Those gorgeous waters need to be guarded. Bat El Ohayon is one of the people who does just that. As a Naval Controller, Bat El works hard to protect these shores from enemy infiltration. In December of 2007, Bat El Ohayon began serving at the Ashdod Naval base. She monitors Israel’s maritime borders, in particular the area surrounding the Gaza Strip. Although three years have passed since Operation Cast Lead, everyone at the Ashdod Naval base remembers it vividly: Hamas-rockets were fired almost daily into Ashdod, and didn’t cease, leading to this year’s Operation Pillar of Defense. To prevent more rockets and weapons being acquired by those who seek to harm Israel, Bat El Ohayon and others in the Israeli Navy operate each day to enforce the maritime blockade imposed upon Gaza, a security measure to prevent ships entering Hamas-controlled ports to illegally smuggle arms. Employing advanced technology, Ohayon is able to monitor Israel’s shores. For her high performance and commitment, Ohayon is expected to be named a Control Team Commander. Bat El Ohayon’s hard work keeps Israel safe from those who seek to do her harm.Heroines of Israel: Shlomit Daisy Shlomit Daisy has held a number of significant positions in the Israel Defense Forces. She is the only woman to serve as a Field Intelligence Company Commander. In this capacity, she is in charge of thirty men in her unit. Her task is to gather information about the enemy, its operations with various weapons, and any changes in their situation, and then convert it to intelligence that can be used to warn the army of any impending attack. Capt. Daisy’s unit uses reconnaissance material, sophisticated gathering resources, and intelligent “manpower” to interpret information. As a company commander, Capt. Daisy serves as the connection point between her field intelligence company and the regional brigade commander. Stationed at the northern field observation battalion, Capt. Daisy’s important work helps protect Israel’s borders. She knows she has a serious responsibility and does not take it lightly. Women like Shlomit Daisy, who dedicate themselves to protecting the Jewish nation, continue the long tradition of Jewish heroines, devoted to the survival and growth of the Jewish people.Heroines of Israel: Orna Barbivai Born in 1962, Orna Barbivai grew up in Afula, Israel. The oldest of eight children, she was drafted into the IDF in 1981 and climbed the ranks to become the first woman to hold a number of leadership positions in the army. She served as head of human resources in the Ground Forces Command as well as the head of the IDF Adjutancy Corp. On May 26, 2011, Orna truly made history when she was named an Aluf, the first female Major General. This is the second highest rank in the IDF. “I am proud to be the first woman to become a major general and to be part of an organization in which equality is a central principle,” Barbivai said. “90 percent of jobs in the IDF are open to women and I am sure that there are other women who will continue to break down barriers.” She is also the head of the IDF's Manpower Directorate, as appointed by then Defense Minister Ehud Barak. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Barbivai’s ground-breaking accomplishments in the IDF, saying there is "extreme importance to integrating women in top positions in the IDF, the defense establishment and the Israeli market in general," adding that her appointment as Major General is “a big step for Israeli society and also sends a message to nations worldwide." Barbivai holds a Bachelors Degree from Ben Gurion University in Social Sciences and Humanities, and a Masters in Business Administration from Haifa University. She is also a graduate of the "Turn-point" administration course for senior military officials. Barbivai is also a wife and the proud mother of three children. In successfully integrating her maternal duties with the sense of duty she has towards her nation and her country, she is truly the paragon of a Jewish heroine.

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