Originally from Philly, American/Israeli Soldier Falls in Lebanon

The following text is from The Jerusalem Post.

Originally from Philadelphia, Michael Levine, 21, had been living in Jerusalem for the past five months. He made aliya as a lone soldier when he was 18 and lived on Kibbutz Tirat Tzvi before enlisting in the army.

"Michael was visiting his parents in the US when fighting erupted up north. He decided to cut his vacation short and come back to join his platoon," Tziki Aud, head of the Jewish Agency's information center for new immigrants, told The Jerusalem Post.

One of Michael's friends recalled a phone conversation he had with him about a week ago.

"I'm not worried about dying. I'm worried about what it would do to my family," the friend quoted Michael as saying.

At first, he was given duties on the home front. "Michael fought this decision. He wanted to go up to Lebanon. He got his wish, as we all know now all too well," Aud said.

The article in full can be read on The Jerusalem Post online site. Photo orginally from Israel Channel 10, accompanies the Jerusalem post article.