The settlement of Eli, located in the Binyamin region and home to both the Bnei David Yeshiva and the Eli Military Prep School, has endured the highest per‑capita military losses in Israel since the war that began on October 7, 2023.
By Hezy Laing
The settlement of Eli, founded in 1984 in the Binyamin region and home to both the Bnei David Yeshiva and the Eli Mechina, has endured the highest per‑capita military losses in Israel since the war that began on October 7, 2023.
As of early 2024, eleven soldiers connected to the community—residents, alumni, or students—have been killed in combat in Gaza and along Israel’s borders.
Eli, long known for producing a large number of combat soldiers and officers, has become a national symbol of sacrifice and resilience.
The town’s unusually high rate of military service in elite combat units is rooted in several long‑standing structural factors.
The Bnei David Yeshiva, founded in 1988 by Rabbi Eli Sadan and Rabbi Yigal Levinstein, was the first pre‑military academy in Israel and has produced thousands of officers, including dozens of battalion and brigade commanders.
Its curriculum emphasizes physical training, leadership development, and religious‑national motivation, creating a pipeline into elite units such as Sayeret Matkal, Shaldag, Golani, and Paratroopers.
Many of the students end up making the settlement their home after they marry.
Many families in Eli have multiple children who serve in combat roles, creating a multigenerational culture of military commitment.
The settlement’s educational institutions promote responsibility, discipline, and national service from a young age, and the presence of many alumni who return as instructors reinforces a strong internal model of dedication.
Among the fallen is Captain (Res.) Yair Cohen, age 30, a graduate of Bnei David who served in the Paratroopers Brigade.
He was killed in northern Gaza during close‑quarters fighting in Shuja’iyya.
Cohen was married and the father of two children.
Sergeant Major (Res.) Elisha Bar‑On, age 39, a father of four and a resident of Eli, served in the 98th Division and was killed in Khan Yunis after his unit was struck by anti‑tank fire.
Lieutenant Ariel Shmuel, age 21, a student of the Eli Mechina, was killed during the first week of ground operations while serving in the Golani Brigade’s 13th Battalion; he was unmarried.
Staff Sergeant Eitan Mizrahi, age 20, connected to the Eli Mechina, fell in the Jabalia refugee camp during a tunnel‑clearing operation while serving in the Givati Brigade; he was unmarried.
Captain (Res.) Shachar David, age 32, a father of one and an alumnus of Bnei David, was killed in central Gaza while serving with the 401st Armored Brigade when his tank was struck during a Hamas ambush.
The community of Eli has responded to its losses through a combination of structured support and collective resilience.
The Bnei David Yeshiva and Eli Mechina have established dedicated counseling frameworks for students, alumni, and families, including daily meetings with mental‑health professionals and rabbinic staff.
The settlement organizes nightly prayer gatherings, communal meals for bereaved families, and memorial study sessions known as siyumim.
Volunteer networks coordinate childcare, meal delivery, and transportation for widows and orphans.
Public spaces such as the yeshiva courtyard and the central synagogue have become informal gathering points where residents share updates, recite Psalms, and support one another.
Despite the scale of loss, enrollment in both the mechina and yeshiva has remained stable, with educators reporting that many students express a strengthened sense of duty and continuity.
