During their time at AMIT Gwen Straus, D. and A. used to play basketball together and both studied in the physics track, but little did they know back then that they would end up as pilots in the Israeli air force. D. is now a helicopter pilot and A. is a combat navigator.
This week, the two young men completed their intensive pilots’ training course and earned their coveted wings, while two other recent graduates of the school, B. and A., recently completed a course to become unmanned aircraft operators.
The four follow in the footsteps of other Gwen Straus alumni who have become officers in the Israel Defense Forces, an achievement the school prides itself on. In fact, according to recent statistics from the army, 25.8% of Gwen Straus graduates go on to become officers, making it the leading school in Israel in terms of alumni who perform meaningful service.
Rabbi Sagi Rosenbaum, the head of Gwen Straus’ science and technology track, said that hundreds of graduates are currently or have served as army officers in the past. He taught both D. and A., adding, “We educate our students not to give up their dreams, to invest in the country and to give back to Israeli society unconditionally.”
“Our students are taught to contribute and give to others and to use their talents and abilities to the fullest,” said Rabbi Yoni Berlin, the principal of Gwen Straus. “Our students volunteer on a regular basis, they run a food-distribution center for needy families and organize fundraising days for children with cancer. Young men who grow up on giving aspire to achieve great things in the army and beyond.”