Giving Soldiers a Chance

Soldiers in the Sa’ar Company go through a five-week basic training program with commanders who are trained to be more attentive to the emotional issues that their soldiers are facing. Soldiers who go to Sa’ar Company are often dealing with depression, anxiety, trauma, or issues at home, but they want to serve in the IDF.  

Corporal Shaked landed her dream job as one of Sa’ar Company’s commanders. “There’s nothing more satisfying than this, to come and enter into someone’s life and show them the way,” said Cpl. Shaked.

Private Raz is in her second week in the Sa’ar Company and although she’s had a lot of challenges adjusting to the program, she also has a very positive outlook and is motivated to serve. She has a dream of serving in the Israeli Police and hopes this program will help her get there.

“In the beginning it was extremely hard for me. I sort of fell apart and was in shock. Basic training is really really hard but you get used to it and life goes on. You just need to look at the positive side,” explained Pvt. Raz.

“Many of the soldiers in the company fought to enlist and fought to pass basic training. The army gives them the opening they need to make it in civilian life and have a better future,” says Cpl. Shaked

Although it took Pvt. Raz a little extra time to adjust, being a part of the Sa’ar Company has helped her adapt to military life. “Now it’s fun for me and I enjoy it. I know that I will miss this experience,” Pvt. Raz commented.

“This might be the most stable place a soldier has been in their life because until now, they may have never had a support system or someone who believed in them,” says Cpl. Shaked

Although being a commander in the Sa’ar Company is challenging, Cpl. Shaked finds it very rewarding. She remarked, “They come here and for the first time, there’s someone who looks at them in the eye and says, ‘I am with you until the end and you can do it not because I'm here but because you're here and you can do it.’”