To Alan – July 25 – Ivrit
An encounter with Israelis at a pre-military camp. Bob to his little brother: “I only speak Hebrew here.”
The Tough “Sabar” of the IDF
Letter from Bob Jacobs to Alan Jacobs Thursday July 25, 1957
Dear Alan,
I wish you were here with me. I am having a great time. I’ve seen the Negev, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
I’ll tell you one thing. The Israel Soldiers are real tough. I was at a Pre Army Camp for boys 15 & 16 and everyone of them was able to beat me up. That was bad, but when the girls could do it also I felt bad.
The Arabs started up last week & the whole Syrian Forts along Lake Huleh were blasted.
You see loads of captured Egyptian guns. If the Arabs started now, I pity them. They would be massacred.
I went swimming in the Dead Sea & went for a walk near the old city of Jerusalem. About that time some Jews went to get something in Arab Jordan.
The Arabs picked up guns but when Israeli armored cars approached you saw U.N. Jeeps rushing from Arab territory.
Next week I am going to live on a Kibbutz but not near the border.
I’ll tell you one thing. When you see Israel & the boys & girls of the army you can be real proud you are a Jew. Don’t worry they could lick all the Arabs together easy.
Your brother & Pal Bob
P.S. It was great the first time I dovened in ירושלים עיר הקודש
שבת טוב
אני מדבר פה רק עברית
David’s Comments:
Add link to HU Mt. Scopus and Givat Ram. Getting to Mt. Scopus during Jordanian rule.
The need to build Givat Ram since access to Mt. Scopus too dangerous.