In honor of my childhood friend, Aluf Mishne, Colonel Roi Levy Z”l.
Published on Facebook May 30, 2024
This week, I had the honor and privilege to attend a mountain dedication – Givat Roi, in honor of my childhood friend, Aluf Mishne, Colonel Roi Levy Z”l, who fell in battle at Kibbutz Re’im during the Hamas massacre on October 7th.
The hill, an ancient Tel, is situated in the heart of the Judean Shfela foothills, within the Mateh Yehuda Regional Council. At the peak, a 360-degree panoramic view encompasses everything Roi represented. The scenery reveals the appearance of the land in both present and ancient times, its events, and associated memories. Archaeology, history, anthropology, plants, and animals are intertwined to form the landscape of the homeland. Important battle sites, from antiquity up to the struggle for Jewish independence, intertwine with expressions of halutzim (pioneers) and hityashvut (Zionist settling of the land). Roi’s presence is substantial with every step and every glance.
The event was attended by representatives of all walks of Israeli society who made their way up the hill: Family and friends, brothers in arms, commanding officers, soldiers he commanded, and dignitaries. Emotional and honorable, befitting the inspiration and leadership Roi exemplified, and his dedication to his land, country, and people.
The dedication ceremony included words and prayers from family, army commanders, and dignitaries. The audience listened to the audio guide placed on top of the hill, telling Roi’s story, and sang songs together with Israeli performer Arik Sinai. I have full confidence that the youth of Israel will make their way to the top of the hill, hear Roi’s story, absorb the values in the air, and sit around a campfire singing Israeli songs.
Many spoke at the top, and I have much to reflect on.
Minister Benny Gantz concluded with the statement that the memory of the fallen will be preserved through Ma’ashe – deeds/actions, and Maasiyah – storytelling. In Jewish tradition, this is also known as Halakhah and Aggadah. Some of us are storytellers, passing our Jewish values from generation to generation, building the spiritual and intellectual foundation of our people. Others are people of action, maintaining, building, innovating, and securing the physical needs of our people today and for the future.
It has been a long time since we grew up together in elementary school in the Har Nof neighborhood of Jerusalem. As a tour guide, educator, and storyteller, I have had the privilege of accompanying missions across the country, which include meetings and briefings by officers in the Israeli army. I was fortunate that now and then, I would arrive at a site and discover that we were meeting Roi. It was always like a reunion from the past. He always mentioned to the group, “We grew up together in a very special place.”
I remember, in 2013, outside the Nahal Oz army base, Roi came out of the jeep, walked up, gave a hug, smiled at everyone, and jumped right into the briefing. He spoke about the threats and challenges, saying, “I am commanding soldiers and a contractor simultaneously,” as he pointed at the heavy machinery building the fence across the field. What might have struck others, but was obvious to those who knew him, was that Roi didn’t just brief on what the army was doing, but also on the why. Roi spoke of the communities and the flourishing desert as he surveyed the surroundings. His words reflected his love for the land and his people. He was both telling and living the story. Roi encompassed Ma’ashe and Maasiyah, Halakhah, and Aggadah in one.
We all must live up to the dedication of Roi and all the fallen soldiers.
I look at our generation and our children’s generation with hope. I look forward to climbing the hill with my kids soon, linking them to Roi, and to the lineage of dreamers and achievers, anshei ma’ashe and anshei maasiyah, people of deeds and people of storytelling. We are committed to passing the torch – in honor of Roi, in honor of all the fallen soldiers and victims of terror, and for the future of the Jewish people.
