From Medic to Combat Soldier to Unofficial Diplomat: How One Oleh is Leaving his Mark on Israel

When Chaim Seligman was 16, he was walking in his Florida neighborhood when a few guys attacked him. While spending the next few weeks recuperating in bed, Chaim thought about the kind of life he wanted to lead.

“I knew that I could come out of this experience as someone who was full of anger,” said Chaim. “Or I could look at every moment as though it were my last and spend my time focused on something I truly believed in.”

A month later, Chaim left for March of the Living, during which he explored Poland’s concentration camps before landing in Israel. He had always been interested in Aliyah, and the experience drove home his desire to dedicate his life to Israel. “When we landed in Israel, everyone started singing and dancing and crying,” said Chaim. “Israel is a magical place and I knew I had to be there.”

Chaim graduated from high school and enrolled in a year-long yeshiva program in Israel. But he soon discovered that a year wasn’t enough, and he chose to extend his time in Israel by volunteering as a medic with Magen David Adom. Each day, Chaim woke up at 5:30 AM, proudly donned his Magen David-emblazoned uniform, and headed to the Jerusalem headquarters, ready to answer any emergency calls. In between ambulance runs, Chaim worked on improving his Hebrew by reading Israeli newspapers and writing down any words that he didn’t yet know.

One day he found himself in the back of an ambulance with a Haredi man who had suffered a minor heart attack. Chaim was taking his vitals when the man turned to him and said, “Man plans and God laughs.”

Once again Chaim felt how important it was to spend each day focused on doing what he believed was right. His older brother and several close friends had previously joined the Israeli Army, and Chaim decided that it was his responsibility to do so, too. “If I wanted to be a part of the Jewish people, I also needed to do my part in protecting its people–as others had done for me,” said Chaim.

Chaim enlisted through the Mahal program, which enables Jews from all over the world to volunteer for the Israeli Army. As part of the Kfir Brigade, Chaim became a sharpshooter. He also forged a close group of friends, became fluent in Hebrew slang, and realized that he no longer wanted to return to the US for college.

After his compulsory post-army trip to Thailand, Chaim enrolled in Bar Ilan’s International School before transferring to the Hebrew degree law program. Taking Hebrew law courses wasn’t easy but Chaim was fortunate to have Israeli friends who pulled all nighters with him to help him prepare for tests.

Chaim also became very involved in Bar-Ilan’s Model UN Society as well as the national league, representing his school at conferences all over the world–from Bratislava to Barcelona—and taking on leadership roles. At these conferences, Chaim wore a three-piece suit and his kippah, which meant he often fielded questions about what it was like to be Jewish and live in Israel.

For Chaim, these have been invaluable experiences to teach friends from all over the world the truth about Israel. During Operations Protective Edge and Cast Lead, Chaim received emails from friends in France, Spain, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, asking him his perspective on the conflict and then posting articles he sent them on their Facebook feeds.

“It’s been incredible to defend Israel on a person-to-person level and show people that Israel is not as it appears in the media,” said Chaim.

With a few months left of university, Chaim is exploring different professional opportunities in Israel—all which seek to improve Israel’s reputation in the world. He is also enjoying spending time with his three siblings—who each made Aliyah last year.

“I’ve been blessed to have my family support my decisions,” said Chaim. “And now having my siblings in Israel has truly concretized my belief that I belong here.”

Chaim recently appeared in the Nefesh B’Nefesh 2015 Yom Haatzmaut film. Watch it here: