Soldiers free Holocaust survivor from death, again
In a scene reminiscent of historical traumas, a 90-year-old Holocaust survivor confronted Maj. Ro’i and his soldiers from the Kfir Brigade upon their unexpected entry into his home last Saturday in one of the kibbutzim near the Gaza border.
This man was hiding in his safe room, after hundreds of Hamas terrorists had taken over his kibbutz, and killed many in cold blood. Holding onto his gun with trembling hands, the man’s initial panic was palpable.
However, once he recognized the familiar emblem of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on their uniforms, relief washed over him. “The moment mirrored my feelings during my liberation from the Holocaust,” he told Ro’i, who wasn’t able to trace the name of this elderly man and did not mention his kibbutz.
This touching meeting served as a backdrop to the myriad experiences that Ro’i and his brigade faced during the Hamas massacre on October 7.“From the start of the war, we’ve been on the home front,” Ro’i recounted in an interview with The Jerusalem Post. “Along with my forces, we’ve been active in protecting and cleansing the kibbutzim. Our mission was clear: thwart terrorist activities, rescue trapped civilians, and ensure the safety of Israeli residents.”
But Shabbat, usually a tranquil day, took a dramatic turn. “Being religious, it was a day of rest for me. Yet, duty called early that morning, necessitating the rapid mobilization of my entire platoon,” he said. As they swiftly moved into
action, they headed to the intense closure area, working in Kibbutzim like Re’im and Be’eri that had suffered significantly from a deadly massacre.
In Re’im, a situation escalated rapidly, leading to a grave decision. “We had to collapse a house onto a suspected terrorist,” Ro’i recalled with a heavy heart. “We later discovered a family hidden in a safe room within the same house... It was a miracle”. Asked how houses are “collapsed,” he explained that the IDF uses tanks and tractors.
Ro’i vividly recalled another distressing scene in Be’eri: “I entered a house to find a
distraught husband mourning the loss of his wife. He mentioned he had nothing left to lose, watching TV, her lifeless body merely feet away on the couch.”
But amidst the heartbreak, Ro’i and his soldiers found moments of humanity, like sipping a drink with the mentioned Holocaust survivor, discussing shared histories, and offering consolation in harrowing times.
Drawing strength from unity, Ro’i remains resilient. “We’re strong together, and while this war challenges our spirit, with our outstanding army and unwavering spirit, they won’t defeat us.”