Parents Tell of Soldiers’ Bravery
The parents of two fallen soldiers in Israel told of their sons’ bravery at a Jewish Heroism presentation at the Classic Cinema in Elsternwick last night.
The function was organised by B’nei Akiva, and included presentations from Matan Vilnai, the Israeli Minister for Home Front Defence, Mr Roy Steinman, Principal of Leibler Yavneh College and Rabbi James Kennard, Principal of Mount Scopus Memorial College.
Roy Klein, a major in the Israeli Defence Force sacrificed his own life to save those of his fellow comrades, when in the battle at Bint Jbeil in the Second Lebanon War; he threw himself onto a grenade as he said the “Shema Yisrael” prayer. Klein made his way up the military ranks, enrolling into the Army as an Officer, and making it all the way into an Elite Unit. As his mother, Shosh, told, “He grew up a humorous, charismatic boy; he was very intelligent, learning the Torah, and dedicated himself to his studies and other interests.” Klein’s father, Aharon, added, “It is not the last act of our son we want people to remember, it was the bravery spanning his whole life.”
The other soldier, Noam Apter, was on Shabbat kitchen duty at the Keshivat Otniel, when two Islamic terrorists dressed in Israeli Army clothing, infiltrated the premises of the Yeshiva, opening fire on those inside. Apter, who had been hit with a number of the sprayed bullets, used his last efforts to shut the door connecting to the dining area and threw away the key, in turn locking the terrorists inside. It was his effort in sacrificing his own life which saved many of his peers. The terrorists were later found and killed by the Israeli Army.
The honour and courage of these two soldiers will forever be remembered, and their brave families will continue to inspire people from all around the world as they tell of the sacrifices of Klein and Apter.
