Australian Jade Lazarus leaves everything behind to join the IDF and finds love
Australian Jade Lazarus leaves everything behind to join the IDF and defend Israel while finding love during her endeavours.
Jade and Jacob
Jade Lazarus, 19, is a combat soldier from Perth, Australia and is currently in Israel serving in the IDF (Israel Defence Forces) in one of the worlds only co-ed infantry units, the Bardelas Battalion.
“Our duties include protecting the Southern region of Israel,” she said. “Before you’re able to be apart of the unit, you have eight months of intense training…the first four months are basic and the final four are for polishing your skills”.
Being a ‘lone soldier’, a young person leaving her family and friends in order to serve, she is one of 3000 who join the IDF every year to defend their homeland.
“At first I was petrified. It was a big step out of my comfort zone and I had absolutely no one in Israel”, Jade told J-Wire. “But my family but was very supportive.
The lone soldiers centre was also extremely accommodating, they helped with everything from getting food to helping me find my bearings.”
Jade’s first visit to Israel was in 2014 at the age of 15 with her school, Carmel High. Moved by the woman combat soldiers of the IDF, this provoked her to enlist only a few months after graduating.
“I went home after the trip and couldn’t stop thinking about Israel, specifically the IDF,” said Jade. “I was so inspired by what I had seen that I knew this is what I wanted to do as soon as I was able to”.
Lazarus’s story holds an inspiring love tale. While serving in the IDF, Jade met Staff Sgt Jacob, a lone soldier from Miami who commands a squad in the IDF’s elite Paratroopers Brigade.
“We met while living in Jerusalem in one of the lone soldiers centre houses and formed a connection quite instantly” Jade said.
“it’s definitely been amazing having him here, since he has been in the army for longer than I have, he was able to help with anything I needed, coming home to him was like coming home to family”.
Although not in the same unit, the two ‘lone soldiers’ were able to form a bond that ultimately enabled them to feel more at home and less ‘lone’.
Only recently, Jacob has finished his service, taking a step back from his duties after four years of his valiant duties.
Jade mentioned that “he’s doing his own thing now and I guess he’s ready to work out what his next steps are”. “I still get to see him as much as I usually would, which is great.”
Jade finally has come into her own while on base, feeling more comfortable day after day.
“I’m very familiar and comfortable around the people in my unit, it’s a very different environment to what it was during training”
Jade’s service in the army will continue for the next few years where she will courageously remain protecting Israel, doing Australia and especially all her loved ones proud.
