Israel is a land of paradoxes, a place where the ancient and modern intertwine and where the ordinary often masks the extraordinary. It is a small country with immense challenges, yet it consistently reveals the remarkable strength and character of its people.
The everyday heroes among us, whose stories quietly illuminate the tapestry of Israeli life, embody resilience, humility, and selfless devotion to a greater cause.
This week, I attended a funeral. Funerals, sadly, are not uncommon in our beloved land, especially during these turbulent times. But this one was different. It wasn’t for a young soldier or a tragic victim of conflict, but for an elderly man – a founder of my synagogue and the father of a friend.
I didn’t know him well, but I went to honor his life and his family.
He was, by all appearances, an “ordinary” man. There were no grand titles or public accolades attached to his name. Yet, as the eulogies unfolded, a different picture emerged. His life was one of quiet honor, deeply rooted in love for his family, friends, and community. But what struck everyone was the revelation about his work – a mystery even to those closest to him.
His daughter recounted how, whenever she entered his office, he would quickly close the file he was working on and never spoke about his job. It turns out he was a nuclear engineer who “worked for the government.”
For decades, he had contributed to the safety and progress of Israel, quietly and without seeking recognition. In this small, unassuming figure lay the heart of an unsung hero, a reminder that greatness can wear the cloak of humility.
This reminded me of another story from my past. Years ago, as a visitor from England, I attended a synagogue in my area. A man read the Torah with such clarity, beauty, and spiritual depth that I couldn’t help but ask my host about him after the service.
My host simply smiled and said, “One day you’ll know who he is.”
That man was Danny Limor, a name that carries immense weight in the annals of Israeli history. He was the mastermind behind Operation Moses, the daring mission that rescued Ethiopian Jews from Sudan in the 1980s.
Years later, his story would be dramatized in the Netflix film The Red Sea Diving Resort and more accurately related in the book Red Sea Spies by Rafi Berg. But to me, on that day, he was just a Torah reader, quietly serving his community with the same humility that defined his heroism.
Today, I am proud to call him a close friend, a man whose life exemplifies the quiet yet immense courage and steel that seem woven into the DNA of our people.
The lesser-known heroes
My final story is deeply personal, and it happened just this week. My dear friend, Dr. David Bernstein, a Canadian oleh (immigrant), presented me with the scrolls for my grandson’s tefillin in preparation for his bar mitzvah.
David had written the scrolls with meticulous care, skill, and love – a profound gift in itself.
But there’s more to David than meets the eye. Just hours after handing me the tefillin scrolls, he treated a cavity in my tooth at his dental clinic in Ra’anana.
His dual roles as a dentist and a scribe reflect his immense talent and humility. Yet, even this isn’t the full story.
David works at Beit Issie Shapiro, Israel’s leading provider of innovative therapies and services for people with disabilities. In the dental clinic, David and his dedicated team treat patients with a range of disabilities, often requiring extraordinary patience, ingenuity, and compassion.
It’s not uncommon for a single treatment to involve a team of five or six people, all working together to ensure the patient’s comfort and care. David’s work, both as a dentist and a scribe, embodies the epitome of midot tovot (upright character traits) and serves as a testament to the extraordinary kindness and dedication of Israel’s everyday heroes.
These stories, diverse yet united in their essence, echo the words of Scripture in 2 Samuel 7:23: “And who is like Your people, Israel?” In this tiny, resilient country, the spirit of the nation shines through its people – ordinary individuals doing extraordinary things, often without fanfare or recognition.
We are a nation of builders, rescuers, healers, and protectors. We are farmers turning deserts into fertile lands, soldiers standing watch on our borders, and innovators revolutionizing the world.
Yet it is in the quieter moments – in the anonymous contributions, the acts of kindness, and the steadfast devotion to family and community – that our true strength lies.
The elderly engineer who safeguarded our future in silence, the Torah reader who orchestrated a daring rescue, and the dentist-scribe who brings light to lives shadowed by hardship – all are threads in the rich fabric of Israeli society.
They remind us that heroism doesn’t always wear a uniform or make headlines. Sometimes, it’s found in the humility of a life well-lived, in the silent sacrifices made for the greater good, and in the love and care given to others.
In a world that often seems fractured, Israel’s people are a beacon of hope and resilience. Their stories inspire us to look beyond the surface, to seek out and celebrate the quiet heroism that surrounds us every day.
For truly, who is like your people, Israel? A nation small in size but immense in spirit, where the ordinary is often extraordinary, and where every life is a testament to the enduring power of faith, community, and love.
As I reflect on these stories, I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude to be part of this remarkable nation. To live among people who embody courage, humility, and an unwavering commitment to one another is a privilege and a blessing.
May we continue to draw strength from these everyday heroes and strive to emulate their example in our own lives. For in Israel, heroism isn’t confined to history books or silver screens – it is alive, vibrant, and woven into the very fabric of our daily existence.
The writer is a rabbi and physician who lives in Ramat Poleg, Netanya. He is a co-founder of Techelet-Inspiring Judaism.