Kickstarter

The word, "Masa" in Hebrew means "journey", when defined literally. But for an Israeli soldier in basic training, there is a far different, much more ominous understanding. The "Masa" means the grueling 50-60 Kilometer hike through the Negev desert that determines whether or not you graduate from training, if you are to receive your unit's beret and how far you will go to become a true combat soldier.

It is no simple ordeal. 

I named my book for this "Masa", because the past four years were the most challenging of my life, a journey in every sense of the word. I learned how to properly treat foot fungus, how to cook canned tuna with toilet paper and how to curse in Hebrew better than any of my friends. My M-16 was my third arm. My ceiling was most often the stars, glimpsed through the holes in our tent. 

I wrote constantly. 

Now, the time has come to share what I wrote, thirteen short stories about normal Israeli kids thrown into a military, the crazy Americans who volunteered (myself included) and how our cultures clashed. There are no politics in this book, no agenda. 

I chose to self-publish because every agent I met told me they only wanted non-fiction, and furthermore, short fiction anthologies do not sell well. I am not interested in making a profit. I want Kickstarter and your help to bring these stories to as many people as possible, so that they might understand what it is like to be a simple foot soldier in the Israeli military, to give them a glimpse into a world unlike any other.

I am determined not only to meet my pledged financial goal, but to double, triple, quadruple the number so that I may publish a greater quantity of books. 3,000 dollars is not the limit. It is a great start.

I plan to publish a 200-paged, black and white 6x9 inch paperback book of short fiction. The title of the book will read: "Masa: The Stories of a Lone Soldier". And underneath will be my name. With Kickstarter, this plan may become a reality. 

Thank you for your support!