Ten days ago, my neighbor's son, Eliyahu Haim Bensallem z'l, was killed in Gaza at just 21 years old.
In today's Inside Israel episode, I share the story of paying a shiva call to his family. I was not alone - over 600 people attended the final shiva night in Ra'anana, in an outpouring of cohesiveness and support for the Bensallems.
I also provide context on the larger narrative of why so many French Jews have come to reside in Ra'anana. Eliyahu was the third French-born soldier from Ra’anana to lose his life in Gaza. These deaths have undoubtedly changed the experience and attitudes of French immigrants in Israel, and how other Israelis think of the French.
Finally, I explain the heroic circumstances of Eli's death. You'll likely agree his actions were epically courageous. I then contrast Eli's sacrifice with college protesters in the US and thought leaders like The New York Times' Ezra Klein, who claim to be heroic but would never actually risk their lives for a cause like Eli did.
Visit www.joelchasnoff.com/podcast to see a video recording of this broadcast and get links for the live session.
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