Aaron Sightler is a strong soul.
Yes, going solo with Arya at 23 can be a challenge in itself. After that, he not only acted as a volunteer in the Israel Defense Forces, but also acted thoroughly as an idealist, in the paratroopers he served for 18 months. He deserves to have the adjective “courageous” added to him for either of these two game-changing moves alone. However, Saitler, who was born in Manchester, England, seems to have an even tougher personality.
He also seems to have a knack for using luck to his advantage. Indeed, Saitler, who came here as a religiously observant young man with a BA in history from University College London, probably attributes every appropriate development in his life to divine intervention. right. Consider the simple but somewhat chilling fact that he was officially dismissed (released) from the IDF on October 6, 2023.
“Yes, I think things don’t just happen,” he says. “Things happen for a reason, so I thought maybe I needed to do something about it. Maybe this walk is that. I’ll be released on October 6th instead of October 7th. There was a reason why it was done.”
There may be enough. But whatever the underlying motivation or impetus, Zeitler has traversed various sections of the Israel Trail and plans to cover 440km. Out of approximately 1,000km. Completing a meritorious cross-country route is a physically and emotionally challenging endeavor to enable others to benefit from much-needed emotional support. He meets Christian pilgrims at the foot of Mount Tabor. (Credit: Aaron Sightler)
I joined him several kilometers into his long fundraising campaign when he was in a neck of the woods near the Elah Valley, not far from Beit Shemesh. With mud caked on our shoes from perhaps the last rains before summer, we walked together through fields and orchards of olive trees and other fruit trees, freshly past their lush spring prime.
We took a closer look at the altruistic acts he is currently performing. “The idea is to do sponsored walks around the country to raise as much money as possible for something called ecotherapy,” Saitler explains. Specifically, it is promoted through the Society for the Conservation of Nature in Israel (SPNI) and refers to a form of therapy that involves participating in outdoor activities deep within the healing bosom of Mother Nature.
Zeitler turns his philanthropic efforts to the victims (direct or secondary victims) of the violence inflicted on us the day after we leave the military.
“This is a natural therapy that brings former hostages, relatives of hostages, ex-combatants and other people suffering from the trauma of war out into nature very easily,” he added.
They are not just left there to continue useful communication. “They go out with a guide and a qualified social worker. Through this experience, they learn how to deal with the night paralysis and anxiety suffered by their experiences through simple interactions with nature and the animals this country has to offer. I managed to overcome my anxiety symptoms.”
No one goes through 18 months of active military training without experiencing a few lightbulb moments, even if they don’t get to practice on a real battlefield. Zeitler overcame several such critical moments. “In the military, I realized that my true passion was not to kill terrorists. In fact, we often talked about this in the military, and we had the slogan ‘Teqpes e Hamashmaut Shelcha’ (Find your calling). ) I realized that my passion was not to kill terrorists. My passion, and I realized that after spending a lot of time in the field, was natural. I say to. So it’s a long hike up and down the countryside.
Protecting Israel’s ecosystem
That didn’t mean Zeitler was going to let his guard down and leave the country alone.
“I realized that there are many ways to protect land, and killing terrorists is one of them. But land also needs to be protected from garbage and uncontrolled urban expansion. We’re at a confluence point, which means this is a very important migration site for birds. It’s a very fragile ecosystem.”
It’s a hallmark of Zeitler’s life and will no doubt ultimately influence his professional goals. “There are so many things that have already been destroyed. Just last week I was talking to a schwillist (trail walker) and he told me that he had brought someone who had gone deep-sea diving in Eilat 20 years ago. If you’ve been there and taken someone who has done it recently, he said the experience is incomparable.Unfortunately, most of the coral has bleached and the fish population is decreasing. is.”
Saitler is not a radical activist. Sure, he wants us to change the way we think about lifestyle, but at the same time recognizes the practicalities of modern life.
“There are economic agreements that Israel has entered into to leach the natural resources there (the Red Sea). It is understood. We want the economy to grow and we believe in further settling the land. Sometimes They can also get in the way of ecological protection. We should try as much as possible to grow our country and our population sustainably.”
In fact, the Bible says that this is the very purpose of what we do here on earth. To quote from Genesis, “The Lord God placed the man in the garden of Eden to care for him and watch over him.”
This realization left a lasting mark on Zeitler’s consciousness as he wore khaki and participated in military exercises and other military activities in the field. “I saw how much junk and trash the military leaves in nature after exercises. We literally treat the fields like trash. We don’t take care of it ourselves. So what’s the point in protecting it from outside invaders?
That’s an important existential point, but one that may not sit well with those in high political or military positions. But the former Manchenian is determined to do his part to not only protect some of Mother Nature’s treasures here in the region, but also to make them available to those who need them most. I am.
Zeitler says his efforts to help improve the environment stem from what he sees as a basic need for survival and a desire for quality of life. “I couldn’t support this cause because of the very authoritarian system of the military, but I thought that once I got out of the military, I would do something. Personally, I wanted a breath of fresh air. So I thought it would be great if I could tie it to some ideological reason.”
As the horrors of the Hamas massacre unfolded, Saitler’s first instinct was to join the members of the Israel Defense Forces he had just left behind in Gaza. However, his parents were in the country at the time to spend time with him on retirement leave.
Like many parents, they begged Zeitler not to volunteer to reenlist. The young man finally agreed and immediately put his healing plan into action. “My parents would have had one child in Gaza,” he says. “There is one child too many in Gaza.”
As he points out on his fundraising page (www.charidy.com/Aaronshike), at least one in three Israelis suffers from symptoms of PTSD. This is an alarming statistic and one with dire implications for the overall health of Israeli society. Mr. Saitler felt it was time to do what he could for his cause and strengthen SPNI’s efforts to address the shocking current situation.
“Since the war began, SPNI has hosted more than 1,000 Israeli refugees in its field schools and enabled hundreds of young Israelis to escape the harsh reality of trauma and fear in desert retreats. ” he points out. “As a former madrich (youth leader) at Bnei Akiva and youth director at United Synagogue, I was especially acutely aware of the plight of Israel’s youth.
“Now, SPNI plans to do even more to help this traumatized nation with its Nature Heals project, an ecotherapy program that makes the healing powers of nature accessible to the general public. ”
I was impressed by Saitler’s tenacious determination to bring about a change in the emotional state of play here, but also how, almost imperceptibly, he developed an ever-stronger bond with the land. Ta. As many Orejas may attest, once the original Zionist fire and enthusiasm waned, the harsh, ruthless reality began to dawn, operating in an entirely different society with contrasting customs and street-level codes of conduct. The reality of this becomes apparent. Challenge yourself to the limit.
After a year and a half of intense service in the IDF combat units, Zeitler had second thoughts about staying here. “I came back to Manchester around Hanukkah and thought it was over. Israel was too tough for me. I wanted to live a more manageable life, considering the security risks and other things,” he said. looks back.
But since he had already started fundraising, he was obligated to come back to complete at least 440km. He goes hiking and tries to reach the financial goal he has set for himself: his 44,000 shekels. This equates to his one shekel for every ten meters he walks along the Israel Trail. That was his “ruin.”
“I contacted SPNI and decided that the way I could contribute was to spearhead this (fundraising) campaign, rather than fighting with my comrades on the front lines.”
As he did so, he found himself inexorably drawn to the earth, rocks, birds and animals, trees, and, at this time of year, the multicolored flowers that spread across the earth. He says he now feels more in tune with this part of the world, which is why he continues to stay here.
“Just beyond the hill is the valley where Goliath and David probably fought,” Saitler said as we headed east to the base of Elah Valley. “There’s a lot of history here.”
There, in addition to the delicate and ephemeral floral offerings, the precious and fragile ecosystem, and, unfortunately, the many people who were able to enjoy the calming and healing atmosphere of Mother Nature. Zeitler is doing everything he can to make that happen. ■
For more information about Aaron Siteler’s hikes, visit inthelandofshpilkandhoney.wordpress.com.
