Soldier On: A Woman’s Memoir of Resilience and Hope by Bracha Horovitz

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Soldier On is a true story about what it means to become a woman, and how the heat of hardships can forge strong character and lead to purposeful life.

The daughter of an Auschwitz survivor, author Bracha Horovitz spent her childhood surrounded by people who worked fervently to establish the fledgling nation of Israel after its 1948 independence. Inspired by their resilience and fortitude, Bracha set her heart on living a life that would honor her family, her community, and her heritage.

At eighteen, Bracha joined the Israel Defense Forces. Alongside other female soldiers, she parachuted from planes, marched through hot deserts, and learned to shoot machine guns. Intense military training taught her that women, too, can be fierce fighters.

Then, while serving at IDF headquarters among Israel’s top military leaders, she was selected to participate in the Miss Israel beauty pageant. For her, the experience raised new questions about the meaning of womanhood and her purpose in life.

In a beautiful love story, Bracha married an honorable, entrepreneurial man. The two of them seemed to have it all-lucrative careers, a happy marriage, and a small family. Invited to work in the US, they struggled to maintain their Israeli identity while adapting to cross-cultural life.

And then . . . tragedy struck. Bracha’s son was born with severe disabilities. Doctors at first did not think he would survive. Hardship suddenly became a permanent aspect of Bracha’s everyday existence.

Written with elegant prose and profound insights for our lives, Soldier On is the story of how one woman and her family discovered how they could, with courage and perseverance, transform suffering into a beautiful life. In an era that is brimming with anxiety and despair, this book reminds us that no amount of suffering can destroy hope and love.

Year first published: 2022