On Yom HaZikaron, as Israel pauses to honor over 25,000 fallen soldiers, a single tank stands as a weathered monument to sacrifice, binding two generations of heroes across 18 years of war.
This tank, scarred by missiles and time, holds the stories of young men, religious and secular, settler and kibbutznik, immigrant and sabra, who gave everything for their country.
In 2006, it carried Captain Benaya Rhein and his eclectic crew, Sgt. Uri Grossman, St.-Sgt. Alexander “Sasha” Bonimovich, and St.-Sgt. Adam Goren, through the fire of the Second Lebanon War, in which they heroically fell.
Last week, it bore Captain Ido Voloch, a 21-year-old platoon commander, to his final stand in Gaza’s Shuja’iyya.
From Sasha’s brilliance to Adam’s humility, Uri’s ethics to Ido’s radiant leadership, their lives, woven through this machine, speak of unity and loss, urging Israel to heal as it mourns. Ido’s story, only recently concluded, his love for his comrades, his country, and life itself leaving an indelible mark on those who knew and loved him.
Ido Voloch, born in Jerusalem, was only 21 when he fell last Friday (@5 April 2025), becoming the 850th IDF soldier killed since the war began on October 7, 2023.
Ido was a platoon commander in Battalion 46 of the 401st Armored Brigade, Iron Tracks Division. He was killed during a clash with terrorists in Shuja’iyya, northern Gaza, when an RPG struck his tank, moderately wounding another soldier.
Just days earlier, he had been promoted to captain in a military ceremony held in Gaza, a moment captured in a video sent to his family, as his brother Ori shared on Kan’s “Boker HaZeh.”
Ori described Ido’s journey with pride and pain: “It was hard for him at first to enlist in the Armored Corps when all his friends wanted to go to special forces. But he was an Armored Corps soldier; he followed in his father’s footsteps, and no one understood why.” Ido’s love for tanks, the camaraderie, and the mission defined him. “He enjoyed the profession, working with tanks, and the good people in the corps,” Ori said, noting Ido’s first role as a tank gunner near Gaza.
Ido’s passion for life was as vibrant as his service. Food was central to his world, Ori recalled: “His day revolved around food. In the army, he would cook for his buddies in Gaza, and when he could, he would take photos and send them.” His culinary creations, shared with his platoon, were a taste of home in the chaos of war. A die-hard fan of Hapoel Jerusalem, Ido’s love for basketball and soccer was rooted in childhood memories.
“One of my childhood memories is that Ido and I would sit on Dad’s knees in Malcha, Hapoel’s basketball arena,” Ori said. “He played basketball and soccer for Hapoel. He was a real athlete.” Ido’s athletic spirit and zest for life made him a magnetic presence, lifting those around him even in the darkest moments.
His commitment to Israel ran deep. In a text written six months earlier during his officer’s course, Ido expressed gratitude for commanding a tank platoon, dedicating his choice to fallen friends: “Thank you for the privilege of starting to command a tank platoon now, which is more needed than ever. I dedicate this choice to the memory of Ido Testa, Itai Fogel, Ophir Barkovitz, and Barak Segen, may their memories be a blessing, my dear friends who are no longer here, and to all the other heroes who risked their lives so that we can live here.”
This reflection, read by Ori on air, captures Ido’s sense of duty and love for his comrades, a resolve that carried him to his final battle.
The tank that carried Ido was the same one that bore Benaya’s crew in 2006.
When war broke out in Lebanon, Benaya Rhein, a 27-year-old from Karnei Shomron, was on leave but couldn’t stay home.
