By SONYA TREVIZO

Although this is a book about a tragic day, each one of these 43 biographies is uplifting. Each death is lovingly memorialized on a personal level by a witness or a relative. A spiritual presence is woven into each story.

The heroes who sacrificed their lives for Israel on Oct. 7, 2024, shared several characteristics. They instinctively knew what to do without a script, and didn’t waste any time formulating a plan to cope with the crisis at hand.  They were able to apply their expertise to the disaster confronting them. They went above and beyond what was required of them. Strong intuition propelled them to lead the way on the battlefield. They led with a confident spirit, inspiring good teamwork. Their bravery is uncontested.

I was impressed with the broad spectrum of people who risked their lives so that Israel could live. The heroes of Oct. 7 were not all directly connected to the military; health aides stepped up to provide care to the wounded and professional drivers volunteered to transport the wounded. Yosif Zeadna, a Muslim Bedouin, who drove a group of teenagers to the Nova Festival in his minivan, was determined to pick them up. Due to his knowledge of the back roads, he was able to avoid Hamas and succeeded in not only rescuing several them, but was able to help additional people he found along the way. He related, “My van is a fourteen seater, but I packed thirty people inside.” p. 73

After reading this book, I realized how much worse Oct 7 could have been if so many people had not quickly and effectively stepped up to deal with the catastrophe.  Their dedication is unsurpassed.  To what can we attribute their stellar attitude and unmatched performance?

Although many of the characters in the book, religious and unreligious, mentioned that they felt a spiritual presence on the battlefield, it was a rabbi who best defined their frame of mind for me. Shachar Butzchak compared their outlook to bungee jumpers who felt safe because they knew they were tethered. He explained, “I felt, I knew that I was attached to something bigger.  That’s what gave us all, whoever was there, the courage to come out to fight…They were attached to something from above that held onto them.”  p. 248

Sonya Trevizo is the author of The Education of a Musician’s Daughter