Shalom Eisner is a Hero!

I just heard terrible news from Israel. Lt Col Shalom Eisner of the IDF was relieved of his post for striking a protester with his rifle.

I knew Lt. Col Eisner well. He is the son of my late teacher, Rabbi Benny Eisner zt"l.

Shalom Eisner is a modern day Israeli war hero. He loves his country and he loves the Jewish people. He dedicated his life to protecting the land of Israel. He is an example is Israel's finest.

Here is an example of one of the many times that Shalom risked his life for his soldiers.

Hagit Rein, grieving mother of the late Major B’naya Rein who was killed in the Second Lebanon War and whose body was recovered by Eisner under fire, called the Army Radio to express her dismay at the way Eisner was being judged by the “media court.”

During that war, B’naya Rein assembled a special force to assist damaged tanks. He was killed on that mission for which he had volunteered, and his body remained in enemy territory. At the command level it was decided that rescuing the body was too dangerous, according to the reservists’ letter. Then it was decided they lacked the necessary resources for a rescue mission.

After three days, Shalom Eisner, who was then commander of an armored battalion, heard about the abandoned body and said it was unacceptable that the body of an army officer would be lying on the ground while his parents were waiting for him at home. Eisner took a jeep, recall his fellow officers and soldiers, put on a flak jacket and went out to get B’naya. “Surrounded by burned-out tanks, missiles flying in every direction, he just went out into the field, loaded the body and brought it back.”

This is a terrible tragedy. If the IDF's decision stands it will be disastrous to the moral of the rest of the army. It sends a message to Israel's enemies that they are free to attack Israelis soldiers, and worse it sends a message to Israeli soldiers that if they fight and defend themselves they will be punished.

My heart goes out mostly to the Eisner family. They are still mourning the loss of Rav Benny, Shalom's father, from earlier this year. Hashem should bless them and know that many of us are with them in this terrible ordeal.

The Jewish people owe Shalom a debt of gratitude for every time he put his own life on the line so that we could have a land of Israel. My hope is that the IDF reverses this terrible decision and give support to the brave soldiers who protect the Jewish State.