The Australian Friends of Boys Town Jerusalem organisation recently invited two heroic Israelis to personally share firsthand accounts of their wartime experiences for audiences at leading Melbourne and Sydney synagogues.
Daniel (not his real name for security reasons), a 43-year-old veteran Israeli Air Force pilot and Oz Avizov, 48, a computer specialist and senior volunteer medic in the ZAKA Search and Rescue organisation, are both graduates of Boys Town Jerusalem High School.
On October 7th, Daniel recounted rushing to his Air Force base in the Negev desert. By mid-morning his entire squadron had arrived, all planes were loaded, and the pilots headed to their missions in the severely attacked South.
“I can assure you that since that day, we have ceaselessly been flying crucial, ongoing missions to protect Israel’s borders,” he declared.
The senior ranking pilot also shared the daunting challenges he faces as a single parent of three young children. “No matter what I’ve experienced during the day, I drive over 250km home every night to be with them.”
Daniel’s fellow Boys Town Jerusalem alumnus Avizov has devoted over two decades as a ZAKA volunteer, serving as a medic as well as commander of the organisation’s diving rescue unit.
At the Simchat Torah outbreak of the war, Avizov immediately sped South. “Many of you have heard of the horrors that occurred…I saw it all,” he said.
“In our many harrowing moments, we came under direct terrorist attack with nowhere to hide. The only weapons we had were our handguns. It was terrifying.”
“One murdered child had a teddy bear just like my son’s,” he told his audience softly. “The family photos on the refrigerator looked just like ours. It was unspeakably tragic. I will remember every single face of those slaughtered. And I realise more than ever: each day we live is indeed a gift.”
“After the outbreak of the war, I tried to go back to work, back to routine life,” he shared. “Yet, I couldn’t sleep through my horrible nightmares. When I discovered that my fellow Zaka volunteers were suffering similar trauma, I took it upon myself to get help for us all. Thanks to the kindness of many people, we initially arranged a retreat to the desert for several days where a therapist guided us to begin to resolve our trauma. Hopefully more of those in need will be able to take advantage of this lifesaving treatment.”
Both Oz and Daniel stressed the invaluable contribution that their Boys Town Jerusalem education has made towards their own major accomplishments in life. “The endless care and concern that our rabbis and teachers gave us have shaped our lives and our commitment to give of ourselves,” the acclaimed pilot declared. “Today’s Boys Town Jerusalem students, many of whom are struggling with poverty and difficult family situations, are gaining the education and the confidence to succeed and to build a strong, caring, thriving future for Israel and the Jewish world.”
At the end of their visit, both speakers expressed their gratitude to their audiences for the generous Australian assistance to Boys Town Jerusalem and to the State of Israel.
“I thought I was coming to speak to Australian audiences to strengthen their resolve,” said Daniel. “Yet, the wonderful people I have met here have given me the priceless gifts of renewed encouragement, support, and determination to continue my mission to protect Eretz Yisrael.”
This article originally appeared in the Australian Jewish News Digital Edition on September 27, 2024.