On a cool Wednesday morning, 5 Otzmanikim traveled to Ashdod for some self-defense training. The three girls and two boys were getting prepped for their volunteer work with Ofek beginning the following January.
The morning began with the boys working on one on one contact sparing while the girls learned punching and kicking techniques from the instructor. All of the Otzmanikim learned how to apprehend suspects who had knives, batons, and guns.
After lunch, we headed to a shooting range. This was the first time most of us Otzmanikim had ever shot a gun. Nervous and excited, we were ready for the challenge. First each of us learned the proper stance and how to load the gun. This was followed by each of taking turns slow shooting and later fast shooting. When all was said and done, the girls were better sharp shooters than some of the boys.
I was impressed that all of my targets wound up on the page and were located near each other. Shana was the best sharp shooter. Look out Annie Oakley!
On Thursday, we headed to the Ofek headquarters in Netivot for some more training. Most of the day was spent acting out likely scenarios. It is imperative that Ofek employees respond accurately and quickly. Throughout the training session, everyone spoke Hebrew. Thankfully, Adina was there to translate for those with basic Hebrew skills like myself. Volunteering in Netivot this January will definitely test my Hebrew as well as improve my vocabulary and grammar. Overall, I can say confidently that all of us are looking forward to making Netivot a little safer while volunteering at Ofek.
