Jobnik!

In the Summer of 2000, Miriam, a young American-Jewish girl from a religious home, enlisted in the Israeli Defense Force (IDF). Classified as introverted and excessively emotional, as well as possessing poor Hebrew skills, she has been stationed at an Armored Corps training base in Southern Israel, where she works in the infirmary as a rather superfluous secretary and file clerk. Now, it’s four months, two disastrous romantic entanglements, and one collapsed Israeli/Palestinian peace process later.

Following in the path of her older siblings, Miriam Libicki spent her senior year of high school in Israel. Unlike them, though, she enrolled in a program intended for Israelis who have finished high school and deferred their mandatory army service for a year. The aim was to create a dialogue between the secular and religious youth of Israel, who took classes together, and staffed mentoring and learning centers in the poor Jerusalem neighborhood where they lived for that year.

Miriam was the first non-Israeli to enter the program. Barely speaking Hebrew, she filled sketchbooks with portraits in an attempt to communicate with (and impress) her peers. Although she had never originally considered making aliyah, she was inspired to stay and apply for citizenship after a Mechina memorial service for Yitzhak Rabin. Not to do things halfway, she also became determined to serve in the Israeli army. In 2000, at age 19, Miriam was drafted.

She now lives in Vancouver with her husband and eight parrots. This scene is an excerpt from her graphic-novel-in-progress.

Following in the path of her older siblings, Miriam Libicki spent her senior year of high school in Israel. Unlike them, though, she enrolled in a program intended for Israelis who have finished high school and deferred their mandatory army service for a year. The aim was to create a dialogue between the secular and religious youth of Israel, who took classes together, and staffed mentoring and learning centers in the poor Jerusalem neighborhood where they lived for that year. Miriam was the first non-Israeli to enter the program. Barely speaking Hebrew, she filled sketchbooks with portraits in an attempt to communicate with (and impress) her peers. Although she had never originally considered making aliyah, she was inspired to stay and apply for citizenship after a Mechina memorial service for Yitzchak Rabin. Not to do things halfway, she also became determined to serve in the Israeli army. In 2000, at age 19, Miriam was drafted. She now lives in Vancouver with her husband and eight parrots. This scene is an excerpt from her graphic-novel-in-progress.