Are you fearful of the challenges that lay ahead of you in college or worried about the stress you’ll face in the coming school year? While these and many other feelings are rational and normal concerns for a teenager to have, consider this: Toward the end of September, 18-year-old Josh Pankin will be traveling to Israel to serve in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), committing himself to three years of service to protect the Jewish homeland.

So much for the food pyramid or a balanced diet. Looking at the meal choices in the army mess hall, I'm thinking that there's not much difference between the sticky and starchy rice, couscous or pasta. But when you're in gadna (training for the Israeli army), food isn't your priority.