Rabbi Yishai Englman was gravely injured by an explosive device in Gaza during the Gaza war. Tomer Brock, a secular high-tech professional and reserve battalion commander, was wounded by sniper fire in Jenin during the same war.
Despite coming from vastly different backgrounds, the two reservists now work together, delivering lectures to youth and advocating for national unity.
Their lectures are part of an initiative which unites reservists from diverse backgrounds to challenge the divisive and polarizing discourse in Israeli society. "The cohesion we experienced in the reserves is something we want to see reflected in society at large," Brock, the commander of the 8149th Reserve Battalion, explained in a joint interview with the Ynet studio. "I’m secular, and Yishai is religious. In the reserves, there’s no room for division or labels about who you are or what you believe. It’s all about being there for each other—even to the bitter end, which for us means even to death."
Rabbi Englman, 34, serves in the reserves as part of the mechanized infantry unit of the 8th Brigade. "We were called up for reserves during Simchat Torah of 2023. I left the yeshiva where I teach in Ma’ale Adumim, along with my students who were either serving in active duty or also called up for reserves. We were sent to the north," he recounted.
He left behind a pregnant wife and three young children. "During that first round of reserve duty in the north, our son Achia was born. Later, we had another reserve call-up near Gaza at the end of last winter, and then a third call-up last summer inside the Gaza Strip, in the central Netzarim Corridor," he shared.
"After 180 days of reserve duty since the start of the war, on July 1, we were sent on a mission following a Shin Bet alert. The operation was complex, based on specific intelligence about terrorists entering our sector. As we arrived at the designated location, a powerful explosive device awaited us. Tragically, two soldiers, Nadav Noller and Eyal Avnion—the company commander in that operation—were killed. I was his communications officer and was standing just a few yards away from him when I was severely injured by a large piece of shrapnel that penetrated my chest. It was removed in Soroka Medical Center."
When asked about his current condition, Englman said, "I’m currently undergoing rehabilitation as a day patient at Hadassah Mount Scopus. I was hospitalized for two and a half months, and I’ve been in day rehabilitation for about five months now."
Brock, 45, a father of seven, was also called up for reserves on October 7, 2023. "That morning, I left my wife and children—who were hysterical after the rocket sirens—and headed south," he recalled. "I serve in the southern brigade of the Gaza Division and command a reserve battalion in Givati. By that point, my brigade commander, Asaf Hamami, had been killed—his body remains in Gaza—and the deputy brigade commander was critically wounded. I decided to mobilize the battalion.
"We reached several locations in the Gaza border region to restore control, locate terrorists, and rescue survivors. By the fourth day, the battalion was deployed to the Gilboa region, near Jenin, where we fought until late February and early March—a very long period. During one significant operation, a divisional mission inside Jenin, I reached a specific area and came under threat. I was with my command post, including a communications officer who was the sole survivor of the APC disaster during Operation Protective Edge. While inspecting one of the vehicles, a sniper fired at me from 328 yards away, hitting my left leg and shattering it. I suffered moderate injuries, was evacuated to the hospital, and began an extensive rehabilitation process. Like Yishai, I am still in the process of recovery."
In addition to their physical recoveries, Englman and Brock have taken on a joint mission: speaking about unity. Despite coming from vastly different worlds, both men are deeply committed to fostering a sense of shared purpose among Israelis.
Englman elaborated, "We bring two key elements to our lectures. The first is the spirit that has accompanied nearly every reserve unit and battalion over the past year and a half. We were called up at a moment of no choice, when everyone understood they had to be there—one for another, and all for all of us. This unifying spirit sustains us through every day, every mission, and every event. Reserve duty cycles haven’t stopped, even now as the war seems to be winding down. This spirit allows us to keep going and underscores the understanding that we have no choice but to work together, function together, and find a way to live together."
He continued, "The second element is the realization—especially after what we’ve experienced—that as a society, we must find ways to join hands, collaborate, and include everyone willing to contribute in the shared story of Israeli society. This means building trust and partnerships to harness all of our collective strengths, creating a better, more just society with a strong spirit to guide us forward."
Brock added, "Building on what Yishai said so eloquently, I’d emphasize the themes of cohesion, being there for one another, and bridging divides. The experience of the reserves—the shared mission, the unity, and the mutual values—is, in my view, far greater than any societal rifts."
When asked whether students they meet can connect to these messages, given the divisions in Israeli homes—even over issues like the second phase of the hostage return deal—Brock responded: "I believe this work needs to come from both directions: from the grassroots and from the leadership. We’ve already spoken to youths many times. These are young adults with opinions and perspectives—they’re not just kids. Every time I speak to them, I’m amazed. These students, in 11th and 12th grades, are the next generation. In just a few years, they’ll shoulder the responsibility of service, leadership, and guiding Israel in the decades to come."
He added, "I can confidently say there’s no cynicism here. These young people are incredible. After every lecture, they stay with us for long conversations, asking personal questions, shaking our hands, and even hugging us. I’ve never experienced anything like it. I’m full of hope that if we continue fostering this respectful, unifying dialogue, it can work wonders.
"I call on the Minister of Education to take action at the national level. After October 7, we have a unique opportunity to do things differently."
Englman concluded, "We have optimism and hope because we’ve witnessed it firsthand. During my two months in Sheba and additional weeks in Soroka, I saw people from all sectors of society working together. Not just during the early days of the war, when the world turned upside down, but in the months since and even now, a year and a half later. People are still finding ways to give, to be part of this effort, without asking which sector someone belongs to or who they vote for."
