Last week, SAR HS students were privileged to hear two different perspectives of the Oct. 7 war. Noam Weissbuch from Magen David Adom spoke about her experiences on Oct. 7 as a first responder. Yossi M. says, “It was really inspiring to hear Noam’s story. I want to join Magen Adom when I go to Israel for my gap year, so it was very meaningful for me to see how important it is and how much of an impact it can have on someone’s life.” Yinon Cohen, an IDF chayal, shared his story of resilience and continuing to live life to its fullest after his experience in the army. “Yanon’s determination to overcome all the adversity he faced was inspiring,” says Zach S. “When his prosthetics broke when he was skiing, he did not give up; he kept pushing through. That to me was just so special.”

On Monday, SAR HS students heard from Yaniv Galkovsky, a commander in the IDF for the past four years. As an officer in the Kfir Brigade, he was enamored by everything it means to be a commander in the IDF. On March 1, 2024, his platoon was hit by a booby trap that injured 14 soldiers, including himself, and tragically killed three others. After three months in recovery, Yaniv began sharing his story in order to commemorate the soldiers who lost their lives to save others. Senior Maddie R. says, “He wasn’t worried about himself; he was worried about his soldiers. It was amazing that it came so naturally to him.” Sophie S. adds, “He said he heard someone speaking that sounded like him, and realized what had happened to him, but continued to help others. That was really inspiring.”

The students are grateful for the opportunity to learn from these inspiring individuals and hope to develop the same level of dedication and courage in their future pursuits.