Thread: My Pics. See if they show.

Sorry about that, some of this stuff you never learn in English since you'd never use it in this case, in a non-Hebrew environment.

Nahal is the name of an Israeli Infantry Brigade. Its actually an acronym for Noar Halutzim Lohem or Pioneer Fighting Youth, which has a nice archaic Socialist ring to it. It was established on orders of Ben-Gurion to be an infantry unit that would specialize in settling the Negev and make border outposts into civilian settlements (Kibbutzim or Moshavim). Its ideological roots go back to the pre-state Palmah.

Hativa = Brigade
Ugda = combination mobile division with the independence of a US WWII Combat Command.
Plugah = Company
Mahlaka = Platoon
Kita = Squad

Palmah= Plugot Mahatz or Strike Companies. (plugah=company as in Easy Company) The Palmah were the striking units of the Hagana and derived most of their personnel from Kibbutzim and those who'd served in the British army during WWII. THe unit was actually set up with British assistance to act as the last ditch rearguard if Rommel had broken through to Palestine.

Most of the Hebrew names are jargon based acronyms that shorten what would be sentences. For example at induction you report to "Bakum" which isn't the name of a place per se (like Ellis Island) but rather the acronym of Basis Miyun u'klita Merkazi or Central Base for Absorbtion and Selection. Sounds all Orwellian in translation.

Hativat Htzanhanim is the Paratroop Brigade.

Pikud HaMerkaz is Central Command. There are four defense commands: Northern, Central, Southern and Homefront. The first three are the HQs and "parent commands" for the various active ground forces.