Real Life Hero in the IDF
Sherry sent in this story, which appeared in the Israeli newspaper HaAretz. A wonderful read and it warms your heart amid all the turmoil.
Real-life American hero in the IDF [Israeli Defense Forces]
Date: August 6, 2006
Real-life American hero in the IDF [Israeli Defense Forces]
Date: August 6, 2006
By Daphna Berman
An American-born IDF officer has been hailed a hero after saving the life of one of his soldiers during last week's battle in the southern Lebanese village of Maroun al-Ras. Five Israel Defense Forces troops lost their lives in the battle. Lieutenant Eli Kahn, 23, of the elite Paratroopers reconnaissance unit Palsar was tending to a wounded comrade during a heavy exchange of fire when a Hezbollah fighter threw a hand grenade at them. Witnesses said that Kahn swiftly and calmly grabbed the grenade and lobbed it back.
Kahn immigrated from New York as a child with parents Mimi and Howie Kahn. His father is a former program director for the Association of Americans and Canadians in Israel (AACI) in Jerusalem and a well-known musician in the city's Anglo music scene. In an interview with Anglo File this week, Howie Kahn jokingly attributed Eli's heroics to his forced participation in Little League baseball. Eli preferred the locally popular soccer and basketball, but his father urged him to develop a love for the great American pastime. "I told him he has me to thank for his throwing skills," the relieved and proud father recalled this week. "He used to complain about how baseball was such a boring game, because all you did was stand around." Andello Mangasa is the injured soldier that Kahn was treating when the hand grenade landed on the ground between his legs. It exploded only two seconds after he tossed it back. "I will never in my life forget the moment that Lieutenant Eli threw the grenade and saved my life," Mangasa told reporters. "He's a real hero." Eli did not tell his parents about the incident, but the story quickly spread through the ranks. "I was pretty open-mouthed when I heard it," Howie said. "The last time I heard something like that was in a Sylvester Stallone movie." The proud family has since translated local reports on the event into English and shared the news with hundreds of friends and relatives abroad. Eli is the first of his siblings to fight in a war, which for the former New Yorkers has taken some adjustments. "When you make aliyah, you try not to think about sending your children to the army, let alone to war. But this has been great, and what's nice about this story is that it has a happy ending. Everyone loves happy endings and we just hope that every Israeli parent gets to have a happy ending." "This will be a great story for Eli's grandchildren," Howie added, "but now we just want him to come home."
An American-born IDF officer has been hailed a hero after saving the life of one of his soldiers during last week's battle in the southern Lebanese village of Maroun al-Ras. Five Israel Defense Forces troops lost their lives in the battle. Lieutenant Eli Kahn, 23, of the elite Paratroopers reconnaissance unit Palsar was tending to a wounded comrade during a heavy exchange of fire when a Hezbollah fighter threw a hand grenade at them. Witnesses said that Kahn swiftly and calmly grabbed the grenade and lobbed it back.
Kahn immigrated from New York as a child with parents Mimi and Howie Kahn. His father is a former program director for the Association of Americans and Canadians in Israel (AACI) in Jerusalem and a well-known musician in the city's Anglo music scene. In an interview with Anglo File this week, Howie Kahn jokingly attributed Eli's heroics to his forced participation in Little League baseball. Eli preferred the locally popular soccer and basketball, but his father urged him to develop a love for the great American pastime. "I told him he has me to thank for his throwing skills," the relieved and proud father recalled this week. "He used to complain about how baseball was such a boring game, because all you did was stand around." Andello Mangasa is the injured soldier that Kahn was treating when the hand grenade landed on the ground between his legs. It exploded only two seconds after he tossed it back. "I will never in my life forget the moment that Lieutenant Eli threw the grenade and saved my life," Mangasa told reporters. "He's a real hero." Eli did not tell his parents about the incident, but the story quickly spread through the ranks. "I was pretty open-mouthed when I heard it," Howie said. "The last time I heard something like that was in a Sylvester Stallone movie." The proud family has since translated local reports on the event into English and shared the news with hundreds of friends and relatives abroad. Eli is the first of his siblings to fight in a war, which for the former New Yorkers has taken some adjustments. "When you make aliyah, you try not to think about sending your children to the army, let alone to war. But this has been great, and what's nice about this story is that it has a happy ending. Everyone loves happy endings and we just hope that every Israeli parent gets to have a happy ending." "This will be a great story for Eli's grandchildren," Howie added, "but now we just want him to come home."
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