For 10 years, Alisa Sheldon couldn’t shake her dream of moving to Israel and serving in the IDF as a combat soldier. Two months ago, she realized that dream, joining the ranks of the Lions of the Jordan Valley Battalion.
Last week, the 25-year-old Sheldon stood at attention with her male and female comrades, swearing their allegiance to the IDF and the State of Israel.
The Lions of the Jordan Valley Battalion, a relatively new co-ed infantry outfit, was established in 2015. Its mission is to carry out routine security operations in the Jordan Valley region and defend Israel’s eastern border.
“When I was 15, I visited Israel for the first time, studying abroad for a semester through my school in Los Angeles,” she told Israel daily Israel Hayom. “The semester lasted four months and I stayed another three months; and I understood that Israel is home.
“Basic training isn’t easy for me. I’m with girls who are six or more years younger than me. But what’s most important is being a combat soldier and contributing to the state.”
By: Israel Hayom