Israeli newspaper Yediot Ahronot featured a profile of a Lubavitcher Chossid who made history in the Israeli Defense Forces. “Meet Segen (Lieutenant) Dr. Shmulik Soklik who is making history,” read the newspaper’s headline this morning.

Lieutenant Dr. Shmulik Soklik is making history because he is the first Haredi combat doctor in the IDF. Skolik, 27, is a father of two and a Chabad Chossid. Since he was a student in elementary school, he knew that his goal in life was to be a doctor. “From a young age I saw myself as a future doctor,” he told Yediot.

Upon his enlistment, he joined the IDF’s medical reserves track and learned in the Ben Gurion University in Be’er Sheba – which is where he resides with his family. “During my studies I did not learn on Shabbos and I was stringent in observing all the Halachot as much as possible. From a social standpoint I was accepted very nicely, and this is not as self-understood when you consider the places which we have come from.”

According to his request, he was assigned to serve in the Haredi battalion Netzach Yehuda. “It was important for me to be in Netzach Yehuda because I grew up in the same background as many others who are serving in the battalion, and also to be a living educational example as an officer and doctor, and to show the soldiers that it is possible to combine the two worlds. On one hand you can be strict[ly observant], and on the other still serve in Tzahal in a professional and meaningful manner. My aspiration is to be in any place that I am needed.”