Roni Reshef

Israel’s Person of the Year: The Reservist The Person of the Year chosen by @YediotAhronot, one of Israel’s largest newspapers is not a celebrity, a politician or a tycoon. It is the Israeli reservist. The man or woman who leaves home at a moment’s notice, leaving family, work, studies and everyday life behind, to protect their fellow citizens, and, if required, to place their own life on the line so that their country may continue to live. As in every nation forced to defend itself, these men and women are the heart and soul of the country. They are the quiet majority, the backbone of society, and the very best of us. The reservist is not a professional soldier by trade. They are parents, teachers, engineers, students, shopkeepers. They have school runs, mortgages, Sunday league football, WhatsApp groups with friends and half-finished projects at work. And yet, when the call comes, always unexpectedly, they put it all aside. They pull on the uniform, shoulder the responsibility, and report for duty. Not for fame. Not for reward. But because someone must stand in the breach. And they do.