The Israeli military has summoned more than 360,000 reservists to join the fight against Hamas. It is one of the largest mobilizations in history, and some of the soldiers are coming from Massachusetts.
Moshe Perez just moved to Cambridge from Israel over the summer. The father of three will leave next week to serve in a rescue unit. He is says his job will be assisting the injured and searching for the missing.
WATCH ANYTIME FOR FREE
 |
Stream NBC10 Boston news for free, 24/7, wherever you are. |
"I'm an officer in the army. I just want to go there and do what I know. I want to give my shoulder and get under that stretcher. People need that help. Every help is needed," Perez said.
Because he is 47, he is not being summoned to serve and is instead going voluntarily. Despite concerns for his safety, he said he would not want to be anywhere else.
Get updates on what's happening in Boston to your inbox. Sign up for our News Headlines newsletter.
"It's hard for my family, but at the same time, they understand. I promised not to do crazy things and look out for myself," Perez said.
He is far from the only one with Massachusetts heading to Israel to serve. The Maimonides School in Brookline is busy collecting supplies for alumni who have left to join the fight.
"These are heroes. They literally got the call, a phone call, that their unit has been called up," said Rabbi Yaakov Green, the head of Maimonides School.
Two reservists with connections to the school flew out of Boston Logan Tuesday night. The school was able to get a list of what their units needed and collect 61 bags of supplies in a matter of hours. As more soldiers head out, they plan to continue to collect donations and support the effort however they can.
"I live 6,000 miles away. These are my brothers and sisters. This is how a Jew answers the call," Green said.
