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Source: https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-861373
American-Born Soldier Saving Israeli Civilians under Iran Missile Fire
(Jerusalem Post) Barbara Sofer - Eytan Gittler, 29, grew up in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. After graduating from Georgetown University with a degree in hospital administration, Gittler moved to Israel and enlisted in the IDF. He's an operations coordinator and in charge of special projects at Hadassah Ein Kerem hospital in Jerusalem. He serves as a reserve soldier in a search and rescue and combat unit and was called up for the June war with Iran. On June 13, an Iranian ballistic missile struck the middle of a modern 42-story apartment building in Tel Aviv. "When the engineer gave the okay, we ran up the steps to the 10th floor, which had the most serious damage, and started helping people get out. Thank God, people had listened to the Home Front Command and had remained in their reinforced safe rooms. Otherwise, so many people would have been wounded or worse. As it was, we had to help people who were badly shaken and shell-shocked." For two hours, his team walked the stairs up to the top of the 42-story building and then to the bottom, knocking on doors and helping residents leave their apartments. "Fortunately, no one needed immediate medical attention. This was a happy surprise because several floors in the middle of the building were completely wrecked, with their interiors destroyed and filled with debris." "I never for a moment regret my decision to move here," he says. "I can see the difference between my friends, who, like me, stayed in Israel, and my friends back in the U.S. Here, we've developed Israeli resilience. I love being able to do something for Israel. My day job at Hadassah and my military service are both extremely meaningful." The writer is the Israel director of public relations at Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America.