Man puts NYC life on hold to fight in Israel: 'It wasn't a question'
NEW YORK CITY - Since the attack on Israel by Hamas, 360,000 Israeli reservists from around the world have been called up, including people from the area.
Noy Leyb put his job and life in Manhattan on hold to answer the call.
"You prepare for a war, but you don't really think that it's going to happen," Noy said.
Featured
Biden to travel to Israel amid concern that Israel-Hamas conflict could expand
President Joe Biden will travel to Israel on Wednesday to show support for the U.S. ally as concerns increase that the raging Israel-Hamas war could expand into a larger regional conflict.
Noy is one of the hundreds of thousands of Israeli defense forces reservists who have been called to fight.
"When this war broke out, and you may think twice about coming in, just like many other people here with commitments, it wasn't a question," Noy said.
- RELATED: Yellen says US can afford to support 2 wars: 'America stands behind Israel, period'
- RELATED: Humanitarian aid stuck at Gaza-Egypt border as Israeli siege strains hospitals
Noy lives in Manhattan. He owns his own company. Like so many, he has a full-time job – and a full life in New York. But in an instant, everything was put on hold.
"I know someone specifically on my team, who is studying medicine right now in England, and he has a dilemma because he's in his last year, and if he goes to war, and he doesn't do his final tests, he has to redo the entire year," Noy said.
Featured
Car trouble at Israeli music festival may have saved his life
With limited protection in the open desert, Musaei and his friends tried to duck for cover, but quickly realized they had to flee.
It’s a calculation being made by people in all professions.
"Doesn't matter if you're the CEO of a tech company or if you work as a janitor, when you come here, and you put this uniform on, everyone's equal," Noy said.
It’s an experience that’s uniquely Israeli, a sense of deep national pride, despite where you call home.
There's no timetable for return – the tickets are all one way. But what isn't one way is the belief all soldiers agree with or understand the deep divide within this conflict.
"I, as an Israeli soldier who has one target, to get rid of all the Hamas members, I do not want anything to happen to the innocent Palestinians," Noy said. "I support the innocent Palestinians who have nothing to do with the conflict. I'm still going to defend my country and defend my people and do everything to ensure the security of Israel."