Ezra Yachin: Israel’s Oldest Reserve Soldier

After October 7^th, at the remarkable age of 95, Ezra Yachin didn’t hesitate to don his IDF uniform once again. With tremendous commitment, determination and resilience, he has been motivating Israeli soldiers all over the country.

“There is no nation in the world with heroes quite like the heroes of Israel,” Ezra said in Aish.com interview. “As long as I live, I’ll live as an army man.”

Ezra shared his incredible tales of survival during Arab pogroms in Jerusalem and his roles before and during the War for Independence. “Before the establishment of the country, the British ruled the Land of Israel. They prevented Jews from immigrating in many ways, and more than that, they did not prevent the Arabs who lived here from murdering Jews. The Jews in the Land of Israel understood that they had to defend themselves, and so they set up the underground organization, one of them being the Lehi organization.”

When he was 15 he joined the Lehi, a Zionist paramilitary organization founded by Avraham Stern in Mandatory Palestine, to fight against the British and the Arabs, and pave the way for the establishment of a Jewish homeland. “At that time, nobody could imagine that a small nation like Israel could challenge the empire that spanned across the globe. But we protected our nation and won.”

Ezra is passionate about instilling the fighting Jewish spirit in soldiers today. “Currently, I talk to the soldiers. I encourage them and strengthen their morale.”

Ezra Yachin, still from Channel 4 interview

Many senior IDF officers heard Ezra speak when they were recruits or during their school years, and want today’s young soldiers to benefit from Ezra’s experiences and fierce pride, linking them to the war heroes of the 1940s. His passion for Zionism and the land of Israel is infectious.

In addition to the military, Ezra speaks with high school students, pre-military preparatory schools, retirees, and youth groups. “It is important for me to let the coming generations know the price that we paid for this land, the importance of living in this land as Jews, and not in another place in the world.”

Born in Palestine, 1928

Ezra was born on June 11, 1928, in Palestine and was one of six children. His father was born in Palestine, but his family came from Syria. His mother was born in Egypt. As a result, Ezra knew Arabic fluently which greatly helped him in the Lehi.

They lived in the Old City of Jerusalem, and then moved outside to the neighborhood of Yemin Moshe which was one of the first neighborhoods to be built outside of the Old City, when Ezra was one and a half years old. At the height of the pogroms of 1929, many Arabs gathered opposite the Yachin’s home and were about to forcibly enter it. The family hid in one of the rooms and tried to quiet Ezra, but he burst out in tears. The mob heard the toddler’s cries and tried to break down the door. At that moment, one of the mob members threw a large rock at a window on the second floor. The rock missed its mark, hit the wall and bounced back with great force, seriously wounding the Arab thrower. The mob panicked, evacuated the wounded Arab, and scattered.

Ezra talking to a group of Israeli soldiers

Later on, the mob returned with women and elderly who came to plunder the home. Right before they broke down the door, one of the Arab women screamed that they are wasting their time on an impoverished neighborhood without possessions of value, and that they should follow her to the neighborhood of Rehavia where rich Jews live. Thus the family was saved.

The family then moved into an apartment in the Mahane Yehuda neighborhood. All of Ezra’s friends had lost a parent or both due to Arab violence.

During the 1948 War of Independence Ezra was badly wounded in battle while attempting to enter the Old City. He was hit by a bomb in his head, and while being rescued lying on a stretcher, a bomb exploded near him and shrapnel entered his skull. He survived this ordeal, but lost his vision in his right eye. He also lost many close friends in that battle and in others as well. He has scars on his thigh from shrapnel that hit him during an operation on Ben Yehuda Street in Jerusalem.

On November 28, 2018, the rank of sergeant was bestowed upon him by the chief rabbi of the army in gratitude for the many years of his service of lecturing to soldiers. In 2021 he was honored as a Worthy Citizen of Jerusalem for his activities in the Lehi and his participation in the War of Independence by fighting for Jerusalem, and for his books and activities which transmit his love for Jerusalem.

Ezra talking to a group of students

On the 76th Israeli Independence Day, Ezra was one of the 12 Israelis to light a torch at the ceremony on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem. He cried out, “I, Ezra the son of Yitzchak and Emily Yachin, may they rest in peace, carry this torch in honor of the spirit of bravery which is passed down from generation to generation, from the generation of the Maccabees to the generation of the rebirth. I merited and joined the fighters for the freedom of Israel from the age of 15 and I am proud to serve until now as a faithful soldier in the State of Israel. The Eternity of Israel will not lie.”

Ezra proclaimed, “I feel that we are obligated to do something for the Nation of Israel. There is no limit to what is possible. The Jewish People needs every Jew and his good deeds.”

With his unceasing dedication to educating younger generations about Israel’s struggle for independence, Ezra is passing on the torch of resilience, courage and love of the Jewish People and the Land of Israel. May he have the strength and health to continue until 120!