Near where I live in the Lower Galilee just east of Nazareth is an army base where the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) seeks to “disciple” at-risk Israeli 18-year-old men. The name of the base is “The Farm of the Guard” (Havat Hashomer – here a pre IDF group of Jewish self-protection and guarding was founded in 1909.)

Even at eleven o’clock at night the young recruits are drilled to shout in unison “Listen. Listen.” – ”Hakshev. Hakshev.” They are rewiring their neurons to listen to their commanders, who happen to be female basic-training drill sergeants. This is a unique army training base. Here, since 1981, the IDF has taken thousands of young men who have “strayed from the narrow path” or who come from very difficult family situations, and has given them an opportunity to gain discipline and tools for becoming productive Israeli adult citizens. All of their drill sergeants are female IDF soldiers! This cancels out the dangerous potential for a head-to-head “testosterone/machismo” conflict between a wild young recruit and his commander; and the army realizes that women also...