Roy Mendelovitzs is an Israeli film student at Tel Aviv University. He had fought in the 2006 war in Lebanon, mostly in an artillery unit.
After returning from Israel, I kept in contact with Mendelovitzs, who was activated into the reserve army shortly after the ground invasion began. Unlike most of the soldiers, he was called into the north and returned on January 22.
His unit’s mission was to keep a small part of the northeaster border with Syria quiet and make sure that no one was trying to sneak across the border, especially terrorists, he said.
"What I was doing wasn’t so dangerous as being in a war, but I’m also used to this stuff so I am never too worried," Mendelovitzs said. "But of course it’s not like lying on a beach somewhere in Thailand."
Though he acknowledges that having to go away can hurt his studies, but said most of everyone, including professors, are very understanding and helping to get back on track.
Now, he’s back in Tel Aviv, trying to do just that. Get back on track.