Meet Ezra Yachin: The 97 Year Old IDF Reservist Inspiring Soldiers in Wartime

When the Swords of Iron war broke out in October 2023 after the devastating Hamas attack on Israel, reservist fighter Master Sgt. Ezra Yachin once again reported for duty. Among the many soldiers arriving at the draft office, one detail immediately drew attention. Ezra Yachin was 95 years old.

Today he is 97.

Over the decades Ezra fought in numerous battles and was wounded several times. In recent years his service has been within the Military Rabbinate, where he speaks to soldiers about Jewish faith, Jewish history, and the mitzvah of inheriting Eretz Yisrael. He also authored a Torah commentary titled Eretz HaBrit, which focuses on the mitzvah of conquering and settling the Land of Israel.

Ezra is not only the oldest reservist in Israel. He is also one of the youngest people to begin fighting for the Jewish people. At just 15 years old he was already battling Arab rioters as part of the Jewish underground organizations. More than eighty years later, he once again put on the uniform.

Growing Up in Jerusalem

Ezra was born to a family of Halabi origin from Aleppo who lived in the Yemin Moshe neighborhood of Jerusalem. His parents unfortunately were not fully observant of mitzvot, but Ezra himself chose to accept the yoke of mitzvot while still very young.

In his book Elnekam, he recalls a powerful childhood memory.

"One day my older brother David told me about the Maccabees. I was ten years old then. I hoped and believed that one day a man like Mattathias would arise for us, call out to the people and say: Whoever is for Hashem, come to me. I waited impatiently. When would he appear already? Days went by with no king and no hero."

Miracles During the 1929 Riots

During the Arab riots of 1929 Ezra was only a year and a half old. A mob surrounded the family home in Yemin Moshe. The family gathered together in an inner room, hoping the rioters would think the house was empty.

Suddenly little Ezra began crying.

The sound alerted the mob, and they attempted to break into the house to kill and destroy. One of the attackers threw a large stone into the house. Miraculously the stone struck the wall and bounced back onto the head of the rioter who had thrown it. He died instantly and the mob dispersed.

But the danger was not over. A few hours later another mob arrived. This time women followed behind them carrying sacks to loot whatever they could find.

The doors of the house stood little chance against the axe wielding attackers. Suddenly a woman at the back of the crowd shouted, "Leave the poor people of Yemin Moshe alone. You will not find anything here. Let us go to the wealthy neighborhoods like Rehavia where there is china, jewelry, and gold."

Her words persuaded the mob and they turned away. They never reached Rehavia either. A single pistol shot further down the road caused them to scatter and flee.

A Life Changing Bar Mitzvah

In Ezra's home they avoided lighting fire on Shabbat and they ate kosher food, but beyond that the family was not strict in religious observance.

Everything changed on the day of his bar mitzvah.

That day Ezra put on tefillin and was called up to the Torah. At that moment he made a powerful decision. He committed himself to observing all 613 mitzvot, to praying three times a day in synagogue, and to doing everything he could for the Jewish people.

The Teen Mailman Who Became a Spy

At age 15, like many teenagers of the time, Ezra began working. He found a job at the post office.

But he never forgot the promise he had made. Soon he made contact with members of the Jewish underground and offered to help them by passing along information from inside the post office.

It was the perfect position. No one suspected the quiet fifteen year old mailman riding his bicycle through the streets of Jerusalem.

While delivering letters he secretly opened and copied correspondence connected to British officers and other targets assigned to him by the underground organizations.

His parents had no idea what he was doing. They were worried about his frequent absences, but Ezra would explain that he had been attending Torah classes or special prayers at different synagogues.

Joining the Underground Fighters

The kidnapping and murder of his close friend Alexander Rubowitz deeply shook Ezra. After that tragedy he decided that gathering intelligence was not enough. He joined the underground fighters as well.

He trained with weapons, planted mines beneath the cars of British officers who were responsible for sending Jews to the gallows, and fought against Arab rioters attacking Jewish communities.

At one point spies from the Haganah revealed his underground codename "Datan" to the British authorities. Ezra immediately changed his codename to "Elnekam", inspired by the verse "El nekamot Hashem". He chose the name in memory of friends who had been murdered by Arab rioters, sometimes with the assistance of British forces.

Fighting in Israel's War of Independence

During the War of Independence Elnekam fought in the well known battle of Deir Yassin and in other areas around Jerusalem.

The area where the Knesset stands today was once an Arab village. Fighters from the Lehi underground blew up many of the houses and the residents fled.

During one of the battles Ezra lost an eye. Yet even after this severe injury he did not forget the brutal British officer named Farran who had tortured his friend Alexander Rubowitz to death.

Several years after the State of Israel was established, a package arrived at Farran's home. A member of the household opened it and it exploded, killing him instantly. Ezra Yachin never took responsibility for the incident, and perhaps it was simply a coincidence.

Returning to Serve During the 2023 War

Following the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, Ezra Yachin once again reported for duty.

At 95 years old he became the oldest reservist serving in the Israeli army. Although he was not sent into combat, he began traveling to military bases across Israel to speak with soldiers.

In his talks he shares the history of the Jewish underground, the struggle for Israel's independence, and the deep spiritual meaning behind defending the Land of Israel. His message is one of faith, courage, and responsibility for the Jewish people.

A Living Bridge Between Generations

Today, at 97 years old, Ezra Yachin continues to inspire soldiers and civilians alike. His life story connects the generation that fought to establish the State of Israel with the young soldiers defending it today.

From a crying toddler saved by miracles in Jerusalem, to a teenage underground fighter, to the oldest reservist strengthening Israeli soldiers in wartime, Ezra Yachin embodies a lifetime of dedication to the Jewish people and the Land of Israel.

May Hashem grant him continued strength, health, and many more years.