G'day Israel: IDF's Australian soldiers share aliyah stories

Twelve lone soldiers now serving in the Israel Defense Forces graduated from the same prestigious Jewish school in Melbourne, Australia -- Mount Scopus Memorial College. Two have completed officer training, four are in combat units, and others serve in classified units. Six members of that group convened on Friday and talked with Israel Hayom about their journey from Down Under.

2nd Lt. Delilah Schwartz, 21, is an officer at a Gaza Division operation center who was also an operations officer in the Golani Brigade's 12th Battalion and will soon be promoted to the rank of lieutenant. An only child, she made aliyah by herself, the first of the 12 to arrive.

"I am not surprised that many of the school's graduates made aliyah and joined the IDF," she said. "The Jewish community in Melbourne is a close-knit community and everyone knows one another. The Jewish school is a Zionist institution at its core and espouses the love of the land of Israel."

Sgt. Mai Gutman, 19, serves in the Homefront Command's Search and Rescue Unit.

"We have a special atmosphere in our school in Melbourne. It is rich with Judaism and Zionism," she said. "We think of Israel when we celebrate Jewish holidays, and everyone loves Israel and supports Israel, even those who choose to forgo aliyah. We are spread among different units, so it is hard to meet up. Meeting everyone today at the Yarkon Park was a great opportunity to catch up and tell stories about our experience. It was great fun. My friends are in Australia, and they have already traveled the world and are now pursuing their university degrees. They are very supportive."