Golani soldiers completing their trek
Golani soldiers completing their trekIDF spokesperson

After six months of basic training, 'war weeks,' six hundred new Golani soldiers received their brown berets.

Beginning on Monday night, the soldiers trekked from Afula, located forty kilometers (24.85 miles) northeast of their destination, Golani Junction, where they held an emotional ceremony, celebrating along with their families.

The soldiers trekked overnight and throughout the day, with backpacks full of equipment, and carrying stretchers. Their families joined them for the last five kilometers (3.1 miles).

Following the ceremony, the new soldiers will begin serving in their operational roles.

One of the division commanders, Second Lieutenant Bar Or, said, "In order to be a fighter, it's not enough to see the sunset from below. To be an IDF fighter, it's also not enough to enjoy the sunset during the journey, and pause. Being a fighter means conquering one peak, and then another peak, of life goals, stopping for a moment to enjoy the beautiful sunset, and then continuing on to the next peak."

"An IDF fighter is not just a military job, it's a personality - the personality which you have acquired today, and which will accompany you throughout your lives. The only way to conquer the obstacles in our lives is to deal with them, and today, you have seen that anything is possible."