When young Israelis graduate from high school, they are required to serve in the military for three years. However, many young men choose an even more demanding path, enrolling in the “Hesder” program, which extends their commitment to five years—a unique combination of army service and Bible study. These young men are both warriors and scholars, defending Israel with their lives while remaining deeply committed to the study of the Bible, even under the most difficult circumstances.
At the Hesder school of Ma’ale Adumim, a group of students who had returned from the fierce fighting in Gaza gathered for a debriefing session. Their teacher asked each of them to select a verse or teaching that reflected their feelings after weeks of intense combat. One soldier, drawing on the wisdom of the sages, chose the phrase, “There is no greater joy than the resolution of doubt” (Zevachim 90a). When asked why, he explained: “During the weeks of fighting in Khan Yunis, we were engaged in continuous combat, with little communication from the outside world. I was unsure whether I was keeping up with my daily Talmud study [thousands of Jews across the world study the same page of Talmud each day]. Now that we’ve returned from battle, I discovered that I had been on the right page all along, and I feel the profound truth of the sages’ words—’There is no greater joy than the resolution of doubt.'”
In most armies, soldiers spend their downtime drinking beer and playing cards. But the army of Israel is meant to be different. In Deuteronomy, Moses describes a unique army, saying:
The Israeli army is meant to be different from other armies—its soldiers are called to uphold holiness even in the heat of battle.
Today, the Israeli army is filled with these warrior-scholars—men and women who fight on the front lines, willing to sacrifice their lives for the protection of Israel, while maintaining their daily dedication to Bible study. They carry their faith with them into battle, and for many, the Bible is as much a weapon as any rifle. The weight of their service is heavy, both physically and emotionally, and the cost has been unbearably high.
One such hero was Elisha Lowenstern, who regularly studied the Bible and wrote essays in the moments of quiet he could find between battles. Tragically, he was killed in action in Gaza, but his memory lives on as an example of the incredible fusion of spiritual and physical devotion that defines so many of Israel’s soldiers. These are not ordinary warriors—they are men and women whose love for their country is intertwined with their deep commitment to God’s word.
Despite the immense sacrifice—countless lives lost and many more left wounded—these extraordinary young people do not regret the privilege of defending the people of Israel. They are the fulfillment of an ancient mission, one that stretches back to the days of the Bible, when warriors fought not only with swords but with the knowledge that they were fulfilling a divine purpose.
These are the heroes of our time – the awesome men and women leading us to redemption!
To read more about the heroes of Israel, check out Sara Lamm’s new book: Into the Fire: Stories of Heroism from October 7.
