Houten's class was composed of Jewish men and women from all over the globe. 'It was tough and our drill instructors were intimidating.' Before long he found himself face down sucking up sand as he and his fellow recruits were initiated into one of the best armies in the world. Houten left Kibbutz Ein Harod and was sworn into the IDF Dec. It was later used as a stronghold during the 1948 Israeli War of Independence for the people of kibbutz and took some heavy attacks. 'It was centered around an old crusader basilica that had been rebuilt by the Ottomans after it was destroyed by the Mamelukes. 'I loved my time there,' said Houten, who prior to serving at Ein Harod, had rarely seen a farm much less worked on one. While waiting on clearance, Houten served at Kibbutz Ein Harod (Ichud), a collective farm near Nahariya in northern Israel.

His IDF paperwork and in-processing took nearly two and a half months. Houten flew into the Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv in September 2009. He decided this should be his next step in life. Although his religious faith had diminished somewhat, he still identified himself as a Jew and felt strong connections to Israel, the homeland of his people, culture and religion. Young Houten investigated and found out that he didn't need to be a citizen or have a diploma to serve in the Israel Defense Forces. His next move came by accident.Īn acquaintance told Houten the Israeli Army recruited new soldiers simply because they were Jewish. Army - but without a GED and 15 hours of college credit, he was ineligible. In search of direction and purpose, he wanted to join the U.S. While he often thought about his future, he did not find any answers. He lost his motivation, focus and ambition.Įventually he withdrew from school altogether and set off by himself for the 'Gold Coast' of California. By the time he reached high school, however, Houten's sense of purpose had been tested. Houten, director of spinal services for Montefiore Medical Center and one of the top-rated neurosurgeons in New York, sent him to the finest boarding schools in the metropolitan area. As he shut the hood, he also closed the door on another chapter in his life.īorn to a successful Orthodox Jewish family in Brooklyn, N.Y., Houten was afforded many advantages. Houten finished up routine repairs on an Israeli Army M113 armored personnel carrier. 7, 2012) - Last summer, near the Sea of Galilee in the northern Israeli settlement of Mitzpe Adi, Daniel J. Bowling (rear), mortarman course manager, Arkansas Army National Guard's 233rd Regional Training Institute, fold down the armored plate protecting the engine compartment of a.

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