A Night of Heroism, held on Dec. 9 at the Museum of Tolerance, marked the opening of a week dedicated to celebrating courage and resilience. Organized by Bnei Akiva, the religious Zionist youth movement, the event offered stories of bravery, from a bereaved mother who lost her son on Oct. 7, to young soldiers who were injured on that fateful day. It was part of the group’s school program that included a campaign to bring orphaned children from Israel to Camp Moshava Alevy, Bnei Akiva’s summer camp in the San Bernardino Mountains.
Several heroes of Operation Swords of Iron were part of the featured panel: Shilo and Uriel, two members of Bnei Akiva in Israel who served in combat units and sustained severe leg injuries, Brigadier General Amir Avivi and Micha Koubi, a former Sayeret Matkal fighter and Shin Bet agent. The panel also included Galit Valdman, a bereaved mother whose son, Major Ariel Ben-Moshe, was killed defending Kibbutz Re’im. Erez Goldman, executive director of Israel Bonds in the southwest region, whose U.S.-born children enlisted in the IDF, asked Valdman what advice she would give parents of children wishing to serve in the IDF. The mother of six, including three IDF soldiers, responded succinctly, “Let them.” Her words carried profound weight. On Oct. 7, Valdman’s youngest son, Shavit, called her as he traveled to Gaza, unaware that his older brother was already there. That evening, Shavit learned his brother had been killed. He asked his mother if he should return home, but she urged him to stay and fight. Hours later, Shavit was severely injured. Reflecting on these events, Valdman shared, “Underneath the makeup, there are grief, tears and sadness, but first and foremost, I am a proud mother of a Jewish hero.”
Valdman emphasized that her revenge lies in the continuation of life — the lives her son saved, the upcoming marriage of her son Koren, her grandchildren and future generations. She quoted former Prime Minister of Israel Golda Meir: “We have no other country; we have nowhere else to go.”
Koubi spoke of his memories of interrogating Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader. Sinwar was captured by Israel in 1989 and was sentenced to four life sentences. “I interrogated him for 80 hours. He told me how he killed 12 Palestinians just because he suspected them of collaborating with Israel,” said Koubi. “And by the way, they weren’t collaborators. That’s why they nicknamed him ‘the butcher of Khan Yunis.’”
Koubi described how during a search of Sinwar’s home, he found Hitler’s “Mein Kampf” and plans detailing the massacres that occurred Oct. 7. “I wrote extensively about the interrogation, which significantly aided intelligence efforts, though it failed to prevent Oct. 7,” Koubi said.
The audience was moved by Shilo and Uriel’s (whose last names were withheld for security reasons) accounts of their injuries and rehabilitation. Despite enduring constant pain, both expressed a desire to return to mentor children at Bnei Akiva’s summer camp. Shilo described the harrowing moment he was shot in the knee during combat in Gaza, recalling how he crawled to safety under enemy fire until another soldier evacuated him.
The evening was co-moderated by Etan Lerner and E.J. Schwarzbaum, students from Shalhevet and YULA respectively, who grew up attending Camp Moshava Alevy. Founded in 2013, the camp has inspired Jewish youth in North America, combining summer activities with Torah study and Jewish values. Graduates have gone on to lead Jewish organizations across North America and Israel. Mark Rosenbaum, board president of Bnei Akiva Los Angeles, spoke about the camp’s unique combination of outdoor activities, Torah study and community service. The Dovid Oved Retreat, where the camp is located, serves year-round as a venue for Jewish community events and celebrations.
During the event, a surprise presentation honored Valdman with a Torah scroll inscribed with the names of over 600 soldiers who fell in the war. The first name on the list — her son Ariel. The Torah was commissioned by Eyal Dahan, an Israeli-American who lives in Los Angeles. Dahan’s son, Daniel, had served under Ariel.
Valdman embraced Daniel warmly, visibly moved by the young man who was likely one of the last people to see her son alive. “It was a great honor to serve alongside Ariel,” said Daniel. “He was unstoppable. We didn’t know how we were going to continue without someone so significant like him. I remember seeing Galit speak so powerfully and proudly. She is a fighter and it gave us strength to continue fighting.”
“We didn’t know how we were going to continue without someone so significant like him. I remember seeing Galit speak so powerfully and proudly. He is a fighter and it gave us strength to continue fighting.” – Daniel Dahan
The delegation from Israel also engaged with the local Jewish community throughout the week, participating in church events, an evening at the IAC Shepher Community Center, and visits to Jewish schools where they shared their stories of resilience and heroism.
Revital Danker, Bnei Akiva’s new CEO and former Israeli Consulate consul, spearheaded the event and the delegation’s visit to Los Angeles, ensuring the inspiring stories of these heroes reached a wide audience.
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