Documentary centers on the stories of 7 soldiers who describe their experiences fighting in Vietnam, their subsequent move to Israel.
By DAVID BRINNGedalia Becker_311(photo credit: Telad)
The History Channel this Sunday night is screening Vietnam: Israeli War Veterans – a locally-made documentary focusing on American soldiers who served in the war and later moved to Israel.
The documentary centers on the stories of seven soldiers who describe their experiences fighting in Vietnam and their subsequent move to Israel, and for some, another call to duty in the IDF. Among them are Captain Michael Becker – a Massachusetts native who served as a helicopter pilot in 1967-68, made aliya in 1975, adopted an observant lifestyle and now lives as Gedalia Becker in Jerusalem’s Old City – and Captain Herb Levine, a special units officer in 1969-70, who also moved to Israel in 1975 and served in the IDF as a physical education instructor.“The commentary provided by the fighters gives the viewer a unique view of the war,” said Yael Michaeli, the director of the History Channel.“Through their stories, we can see the connection between their experiences in that traumatic war and their aliya to Israel and service in the IDF.”The documentary will air immediately after the premiere of the new six-part series, Vietnam: Lost Films, which utilizes uncensored Vietnam war footage, much of which was shot by soldiers in action. It airs at 10:10 p.m. on Channel 37 on YES and Channel 42 on HOT, to be immediately followed at 10:50 p.m. by Vietnam: Israeli War Veterans.
