Infiltration

Regarded in Israel as a modern masterpiece," Infiltration follows follows a diverse platoon of young Israeli recruits with minor disabilities--heart murmurs, epilepsy--though basic training against a backdrop of nation-building. The process, seen through the eyes of one recruit who tries desperately to survive by staying emotionally removed, culminates in an arduous drill somewhere in the desert where each recruit is put through a simulated battle experience. But the real confrontation with death comes when one recruit fails to survive and another commits suicide. Author Yehoshua Kenaz offers a pitiless portrayal of military life and the casualties that occur in and out of battle. Although set in the 1950s, "Infiltration explores timeless themes of loss and innocence.