Last week, we saved M’s life. M is a soldier in an elite unit in the Israel Defense Forces, so his name can’t be shared. He cannot even share the name of his unit or a single detail about his 24 years in the line of duty. One thing is for sure: He is a decorated career soldier, and it has been our honor to help him and thousands of heroes like him together with our community here in the United States.
On Oct. 7, 2023, M was severely wounded in an ambush in Kibbutz Kfar Aza. When he exited his vehicle to save a friend who had been shot by Hamas terrorists, he, too, was shot—in the spine. The bullet exploded inside him, spreading more than 100 pieces of shrapnel through his body. Certain these were his last moments, he lay on the ground, whispered Shema Yisrael—the prayer recited by Jewish people on their deathbeds—and lost consciousness.
Regaining consciousness 30 minutes later, M realized he was somehow still alive, but his fellow soldiers couldn’t see him. When he lifted his head to signal them, a Hamas sniper shot at him. The bullet grazed his skull. He then lifted his hand to try and signal again, and the sniper shot him in the arm and fingers.
Once again, certain that these were his last moments, M silently said goodbye to his wife and four children. Hours after the fighting seized, he was evacuated to the hospital, where he spent time in intensive care.
There, he underwent multiple surgeries, and the doctors were able to stabilize him, though he remained in excruciating pain. Something was severely wrong. He could not even sit for more than a couple of minutes.
The doctors in Israel faced an overflow of critical cases due to the war and were unable to do an MRI because the magnets might move the shrapnel studded in his body, which would endanger his life.
Through our community in America, Belev Echad connected with Dr. Omri Ayalon and his team, who run the center for amputees at New York University. Ayalon also has extensive experience treating nerve damage and managing pain.

We flew M to New York City for consultations, where he endured significant pain. During a complicated injection procedure, doctors found a two-inch piece of shrapnel embedded near a nerve, causing his pain. An operation to remove the shrapnel was scheduled, which successfully restored M’s quality of life.
None of this would have been possible without the Belev Echad community in America, which housed, fed and supported M through his numerous visits and appointments. Our partnership with the doctors at NYU has done wonders for the IDF heroes whose lives have been restored as a result.
At a time when medical communities worldwide face rising levels of antisemitism, these professionals go out on a limb (no pun intended) to do what they feel is right. This blend of support and medical attention allows us to provide our heroes with essential care while also tackling the leading cause of death among wounded soldiers: PTSD.

The young men and women of the IDF face terror head-on. When most young adults their age worldwide are partying at college (or worse yet, protesting the very freedoms the IDF soldiers risk their lives for), these heroes put on a uniform and head to the battlefield.
They are engaged in combat in some of the most densely populated urban areas, facing the risks of being attacked from below, above and beside them—an experience unlike any other army has faced. Many have witnessed the deaths of their closest friends in battle, and the horrors of Oct. 7 continue to haunt them daily.
However, the bravery and patriotism displayed by soldiers like M often overshadow the horrors and pain they experience internally. This makes it crucial to provide them with the help they deserve. Since the onset of Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza, more than 13,500 soldiers have been injured. We are honored and humbled by the support Belev Echad has received, and we will continue to do everything we can to help soldiers like M regain their lives.
Rabbi Uriel Vigler is the founder of Belev Echad, a nonprofit that restores the lives of wounded IDF soldiers.