COBB COUNTY, Ga. — Josh was at the end of a backpacking trip he took to Israel. The Walton High School graduate had completed college and had job opportunities in Washington D.C.
But instead, Josh told his parents he wanted to move to Israel and join the Israel Defense Forces.
It wasn’t what David Asarnow expected to hear from his 23-year-old son Josh.
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“He said, ‘Dad, if people like me are not willing to fight and defend the Jewish people, we won’t exist,’” David said. “I couldn’t argue with that.”
Josh became what is known as a “lone soldier” in the IDF military. It means they are a soldier with no family in Israel. According to the Friends of the IDF, more than 30 Georgia natives are serving as “lone soldiers” right now in Israel.
“He knows why he is there, why he is training and learning,” David said about his son.
David admits it has not been easy living so far from his son. It only became harder when Hamas attacked on Oct. 7, and war broke out.
“I have a lot of prayers right now, in fact, I’ve prayed more than I’ve ever prayed before,” David said.
However, David and his wife have not had to experience this alone.
Friends of the IDF, an organization that raises charitable donations for the IDF, has connected the families of lone soldiers in Georgia. David says they have met with other parents, sharing the burden.
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“To know there is an organization that supports our kids, to support our parents,” David said. “It’s more important than I could ever imagine, having that community.”
It also means they can share in the grief.
On Monday, lone soldier Rose Lubin was reportedly stabbed to death in a terrorist attack in Jerusalem.
“It felt horrible, it felt numb, I didn’t know what to say,” David said.
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