Nearly a year ago, Jonathon Baron (11) moved from Binyamina-Giv’at Ada, a small town just 70 miles away from Gaza, to Louisville, Colorado.

Here, he rides to school with his friends. But in Binyamina, he took a public bus.

One he rode to school daily.

One that two Palestinian militants raided.

One where nine Israelis were shot and three were killed.

He had decided not to take the bus that day.

“I was really scared,” Baron said. “I mean, I’m used to that, but usually it happens like an hour or 40 minutes away.

When it’s that close, it’s scary.”

Since Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked areas in Israel, violence has been a part of everyday life for Baron.

He recalls his sister waking him up that morning.

“Johnny, there’s a war,” she told him.

Five people from his city had died.

If they didn’t before, now every house in his neighborhood had a bomb shelter.

In part because of his mother’s new job and in part because of the danger of the war, just a few months after the attacks, the Baron family left the only country they had ever lived in.

Baron, his parents, his 14-year-old brother, and his 11-year-old sister left behind family and the comfort of home and moved to Colorado.

“The hardest part for me is missing friends, but for my siblings, it’s the language” Baron said.

Baron began learning English in the fourth grade, which has allowed him to adapt quickly. However, for his siblings, it has not been as simple.

“They really miss their friends because it’s also hard for them to make friends because their English is not that good,” Baron said. “Yeah, they want to go back.”

Baron has found comfort in the United States that he never experienced in Israel.

“It’s safer because in Israel, there’s a lot of armed people, like, just in the street,” he said. “I mean, they’re obviously there to keep us safe, but still, it’s not normal to see armed people, and I didn’t know that until I came here.”

It’s not just safety that’s changed. Almost every aspect of his life is different.

“I miss my friends and family, but then here I feel like everything’s better,” Baron said. “Like, this school is much more fun. Fast food, friends.”

But even now, nothing in Baron’s life is secure. In just a moment, his life could change completely.

“If I go back, I will [have to] go to the military,” Baron said.

Since 1948, under Israel’s first Prime Minister, the country has practiced mandatory conscription. Military conscription is the compulsory enrollment of individuals required by law to serve when they reach the age of 18.

Baron has been prepared for this his entire life. However, since 2023, the risks of enlistment have increased drastically.

Now, he may be serving on the front lines.

“You’ve got to be really smart to not fight,” Baron said. “Then they put you in coding or something, but I’m not smart enough.”

Serving Israel is a part of life. Baron’s community maintains a culture of defending Israeli society.

“Everyone does it, everyone I know in Israel is going to go to the military next year,” he said.

This doesn’t change the fact that Baron is scared. His hope is that he will be able to become a United States citizen and live here, avoiding the military altogether. However, his parents may change those plans.

“My parents want me to go back because my entire family served,” he said. “Like, my grandpa was in the navy for 50 years.”

Baron’s parents expect him to fulfill his duty to Israel, just as all those before him did.

“I have mixed feelings because as an Israeli, it is part of your identity,” Gili Baron, Jonathan Baron’s mother, said.

“When you meet an Israeli, the first or second question you ask is where you have served in the military.”

Gili believes that the military teaches maturity, responsibility, and provides independence. It’s part of growing up.

However, in the last year, she has become increasingly nervous about her son’s entry into the service.

“After Oct. 7, I realized, not that I didn’t know before, but now that Jonay’s almost at the age that he should go to the army, I’m afraid,” Gili said. “It’s not that I don’t want him to go, but things have changed, so it’s a big question.”

This question remains unanswered. Baron and his family are still unsure of what their future holds. Gili’s company is working to get them a green card. However, even with a green card, the Baron family still has choices to make.

Going back to Israel means Baron will be serving on the front lines. But staying here means leaving behind the family and the life they had.

“We still don’t know,” Gili said. “It’s a very big decision. It’s a family decision. To tell you the truth, my heart is in Israel. So we will see.”