Sgt. Maj. (Res.) Ari Kalker, a combat veteran of the Israel Defense Forces, is a general contractor living in Jerusalem. Born in New York, he made aliyah in 2001 and served his mandatory service in a special forces infantry unit, concluding with the Second Lebanon War. He continues to serve in an active combat role in the 6551 Reconnaissance Battalion of the 98th Division, Israel’s commando division. He helped establish Jerusalem’s first group housing for lone soldiers through the Lone Soldier Center in Memory of Michael Levin. He hosts the “Boots on the Ground” podcast, discussing Israel’s war, politics and national identity.
