One kilometer before the end of the beret campaign of the Nahal Brigade's fighters, which took place today (Thursday) at the brigade's monument near Pardes Hanna, the parents joined the march with their sons. Him and came on a beret trip from the Dominican Republic, where he lives, after two years of not seeing each other.Both sides admit - they could not stop the tears.
Pablo surprises Niv at the end of the beret campaign, Photo: IDF Spokesman
The beret campaign is closing the circle of both the father and his son.
"I was born in Argentina and reached my final year of high school in Israel in 1988. Before I finished, I decided to stay in Israel. I called the IDF on a pay phone at the Ashkelon junction and said I wanted to volunteer.
I did not have an ID card, nothing.
I was told to get an ID card, and that same day I went back to the same phone and volunteered for the army.
When I was 19, I came to the 50th Battalion of the Nahal.
In 1992, while in the security zone, Pablo was injured in a clash with Hezbollah terrorists in Bint Jabal.
"We got on a charge and I was injured by the blow to the ear. Thank God this is all that happened. We had a friend killed there, Itzik Levy, and several other friends who were injured, one by four shots in the chest, another with shrapnel in the eye. I got blood from my mouth but kept fighting. In the end".
The father and son in the last km of the journey, Photo: IDF Spokesman
After the army, Pablo worked in hotels in Eilat and became the deputy chief of staff of the Laguna Hotel. In many countries in South America.
Three years ago, Yam Grimberg, his eldest son, enlisted in the Nahal, following in the footsteps of his father, and served in the 931st Battalion. "Kim and I was even the commander of a sniper platoon - like a father who was a sniper." A few days ago, Yam was released from military service, and decided to give Niv the beret he received at the beginning of his service from his father Pablo.
Niv, too, when he enlisted, followed in the footsteps of his father and brother to the Nahal Brigade, in the 932nd Battalion, the third battalion of the brigade. "My brother recommended the brigade and I wanted to continue the dynasty," he says.
Towards the end of his training, Pablo decided to surprise his son, and come to Israel to end the beret campaign.
"Until the last minute we did not know the exact dates. Two weeks ago I ran to buy the tickets," laughs Pablo.
Yam also had a partner in the plot, who led the continental-wide journey.
"I did all the bureaucracy," he says.
And so, Pablo came to the end of the beret campaign that took place today (Thursday), surprising Niv under the stretcher.
"It was quite exciting. The journey was not easy. I still do not feel my feet. Suddenly I saw my father, in km.
I hugged him excitedly, I had not seen him for two years.
It's a lot of time.
I was very surprised, you did not expect it at all. "
Three Nahal borrowers. Right: Yam, Niv and Pablo Grimberg, Photo: IDF Spokesman
Pablo joined Niv under the stretcher.
"I went back thirty years. I was excited. I was sick of the military, if I had to go back I would do everything the same."
Now the two will spend the three days of Niv's vacation - and then, soon, Niv will go on vacation in South America to meet his father.
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