Northwest Florida Jewish women join IDF after High School
It is unusual to find two young Jewish women from Northwest Florida electing to serve in the Israel
Defense Force (IDF) following graduation from high school. Maytal Baurberg of Milton, Florida and
Eliana McCulley of Gulf Breeze, Florida met a decade ago in the Yachad (together in Hebrew) – joint
religious school of Temple Beth El and B’nai Israel Synagogue. They maintained contact growing up
through social and other activities over the past decade. After graduating from their respective high
schools on June 19, 2020 at the Bay Center in Pensacola, Florida they will be leaving for Israel in late
July to assigned adoptive homes, Maytal to a Kibbutz less than three kilometers from the Gaza border
and Eliana to a Kibbutz in the western Galilee. Both Maytal and Eliana have gone through separate Garin
Tzabar intensive screening programs here in the US for young adults ages 18 to 24 who elect to serve in
the IDF as Lone Soldiers. The Garin Tzabar program facilitates service in the IDF and provides a support
system for Israelis and Diaspora Jews who do not have parents in Israel. Maytal explained that it is not
unusual for U.S. citizens to serve in the IDF as Lone Soldiers. Thousands of Jews and non-Jews from
across the world who feel an obligation serve in the IDF through the Mahal and Garin Tzabar programs.
Beyond the Matrix 24JUNE2020 - PODCAST