What would you do if you saw a live grenade rolling in your direction?
Most people would run for cover, but Roi Klein was different.
Roi was fighting for Israel in the Lebanon War of 2006 as a major in the Golani Brigade of the Israeli Defense Forces and part of the highly specialized Egoz Reconnaissance unit. When he saw a live grenade thrown by Hezbollah terrorists at his friends in the battle of Bint Jbeil, he instinctively ran to the grenade and covered it completely with his body, to save the lives of his fellow soldiers.
Carrying the unit’s radio equipment, he made a shocking announcement: ‘Roi met!, Roi met!’, (Roi is dead, Roi is dead) He actually radioed news of his own inevitable death, as he hurled himself on the grenade that took his life. His dying words, shouted with deep emotion, were ‘Shma Yisrael Ado-nai Elokeinu Ado-nai Echad!’
How ironic, that a son of Holocaust survivors, should so tragically have to end his life in our own Jewish Homeland! For his selfless courage, Roi was post humously decorated with Israel’s Itur Haoz, Medal of Courage- one of it’s highest honors.
Do you think he did the right thing? Would’t he and his family have been better off if he would have run for cover and not been so brave?
In an intensely moving interview, the first since he died six years ago, his young widow Sarah, speaks of the moment she heard the news, how she broke the news to her oldest son, Giladi, and his insistence that he wanted 'Aba to come home!'. She describes how she has committed to raising her boys in a happy home, without them feeling like victims. When asked if she regrets her husband’s bravery, she proudly says: ‘ I want him to know that he had my full support for his courage!’
We all are awed by heroes like Roi Klein. How fortunate is our nation for producing such fruit!
But can we ever achieve such courage on our own? Do you aspire to become a hero yourself too?
Roi Klein was buried on his 31st birthday. He was exactly the same age as me. And I am inspired by his courage.
Roi Klein’s bravery was in his selflessness. He put his fellow soldiers before himself. He cared for others more than he cared for himself. He saved their life by sacrificing his own. It's difficult to watch his fellow soldiers speak about him and not be moved to tears.
Ordinary civilians can be heroes too, even if you're not on the battlefields of Lebanon, facing a blood thirsty enemy. Even when it’s not a life or death decision, we can put others before ourselves. Whether it’s a juicy conversation at the expense of another or an online encounter on a social network, can you, would you, put others before you? Would you protect the less popular, the less fortunate, the less talented by standing up for them when nobody else will?
When President Obama came to visit us in Palm beach Gardens last week, politics became personal and threatened to harm friendships . Its ok to disagree; we can agree to disagree. But if we separate the people from the politics and always respect another, no matter how much they differ from yourself, we too can become heroes of our social networks and join the ranks of Israel’s finest!
Today, Israel remembers her fallen soldiers. These soldiers sacrificed their freedom so that we could enjoy ours. We owe it to heroes like Roi Klein to perpetuate his legacy and instill some selfless values for which they gave their all!
Am Yisrael Chai!
Dovid Vigler
Buffee wrote...