Page 82 - issue
P. 82
WAR GAMESMYFIRST
Bby Raphael Blumberg year later I was called up for a 17-day man a 155-millimeter Howitzer. It was
ecause I have lived in Kiryat reserve duty, including all of Succot, to not “our” Howitzer – that one was new,
Arba, Israel, for 32 years, guard in a prison for Arab stone-throw- reserved for us in a warehouse near
bored Shabbos guests often ers at Anatot, Jeremiah’s birthplace. Ashkelon, to be used only in case of
ask me, “Well then! Living near Then, half-a-year later, I was called up war. Still, we were being given the keys
Hebron you must have seen a for my first five days of artillery war to a Howitzer, albeit a used one.
lot of violence in your day, isn’t games, in the Negev desert base of
that so?” After recovering from Shivta, somewhere south of Beersheva. A Howitzer, by the way, is a tank that
their use of the expression, “in shoots up to 20 kilometers away. Seven
your day,” I realize that they are right in There were actually several firsts team members work in it and, when
a sense. I have seen violence. Here is involved. Not only was it the first time I absolutely necessary, can live and sleep
the story of when that happened. would be trying out my artillery skills in it. There was a driver, a commander,
since my course and my first time at a loader/shooter, an aimer, and three
In 1988, at age 33, married with one Shivta but also the first time I was outside staff, including myself. Besides
child, I did 95 days in the Israeli mili- meeting my regular unit. At Anatot, I our team, 14 other teams of seven
tary, away from home, learning to be an had been an outsider, temporarily would likewise be with us for these war
artillery soldier. Startled to discover attached to a group not my own for games, making up our battalion. The
that I could actually learn something bureaucratic reasons. Here, at Shivta, I plan was for each team to practice a lot
that didn’t involve conjugating verbs or would be meeting my team, the six peo- of dry runs, and then, the last two
declining nouns, I chalked it up as a ple I had been assigned to go to war nights, to go out and shoot a lot of
positive experience and moved on. A with. Together, the seven of us would bombs in the desert, aiming for accura-
78 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
Bby Raphael Blumberg year later I was called up for a 17-day man a 155-millimeter Howitzer. It was
ecause I have lived in Kiryat reserve duty, including all of Succot, to not “our” Howitzer – that one was new,
Arba, Israel, for 32 years, guard in a prison for Arab stone-throw- reserved for us in a warehouse near
bored Shabbos guests often ers at Anatot, Jeremiah’s birthplace. Ashkelon, to be used only in case of
ask me, “Well then! Living near Then, half-a-year later, I was called up war. Still, we were being given the keys
Hebron you must have seen a for my first five days of artillery war to a Howitzer, albeit a used one.
lot of violence in your day, isn’t games, in the Negev desert base of
that so?” After recovering from Shivta, somewhere south of Beersheva. A Howitzer, by the way, is a tank that
their use of the expression, “in shoots up to 20 kilometers away. Seven
your day,” I realize that they are right in There were actually several firsts team members work in it and, when
a sense. I have seen violence. Here is involved. Not only was it the first time I absolutely necessary, can live and sleep
the story of when that happened. would be trying out my artillery skills in it. There was a driver, a commander,
since my course and my first time at a loader/shooter, an aimer, and three
In 1988, at age 33, married with one Shivta but also the first time I was outside staff, including myself. Besides
child, I did 95 days in the Israeli mili- meeting my regular unit. At Anatot, I our team, 14 other teams of seven
tary, away from home, learning to be an had been an outsider, temporarily would likewise be with us for these war
artillery soldier. Startled to discover attached to a group not my own for games, making up our battalion. The
that I could actually learn something bureaucratic reasons. Here, at Shivta, I plan was for each team to practice a lot
that didn’t involve conjugating verbs or would be meeting my team, the six peo- of dry runs, and then, the last two
declining nouns, I chalked it up as a ple I had been assigned to go to war nights, to go out and shoot a lot of
positive experience and moved on. A with. Together, the seven of us would bombs in the desert, aiming for accura-
78 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
