Ari Goldberg, who was found dead on Wednesday in his apartment in Dimona, arrived in Israel in 2022 from the US state of Virginia for a year of studies, volunteering and agricultural work in the Negev. He took part in a pre-military program at the Ruach HaNegev preparatory academy in Retamim. At the end of the program, Goldberg decided to immigrate to Israel. He later enlisted in the Israel Defense Forces and served as a combat soldier in the Combat Engineering Corps.
One day before his scheduled discharge, and after already celebrating the end of his military service, Goldberg was found without signs of life in the apartment he rented together with his younger brother, Zeev. Just two days earlier, on Monday, he had accompanied his brother to the IDF induction center.
Staff at the preparatory academy said, “We encourage our graduates to immigrate to Israel and enlist in the IDF, but it is not part of the program. At first, Ari did not talk about immigrating and did not think that was where things were headed. It was his first time in Israel. He really loved the Negev, the desert and the warm, family-oriented people here. He gradually fell in love with the place and with Zionism, and at the end of the program he decided to immigrate and enlist as a combat soldier, even before the war broke out. It was very important to him.
“When the war began, Ari tried to advance his enlistment date, but he eventually enlisted in November 2023. He wanted to serve in the Combat Engineering Corps and that is where he was placed, but first he studied Hebrew at the Michve Alon base. He hoped to take part in the fighting. He entered Gaza and Lebanon and was happy to be part of the defense of the country.”
Goldberg lived in Dimona and planned to begin studying at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. “He was always cheerful and loved helping everyone, and he volunteered in agriculture. Every three months he donated blood. Whatever he could give, he gave.”
As noted, his younger brother Zeev enlisted thanks to him and joined the Michve Alon program after following in his footsteps and attending the Ruach HaNegev academy. Goldberg was able to accompany him to the induction center shortly before his death.
Zvi Elissaf, a resident of Dimona who served as part of Goldberg’s adoptive family in Israel, said, “He was not the type of person you usually see in Dimona. He really stood out. He came to us about four years ago through friends, and we began hosting him for Shabbat from time to time. At first, he barely spoke Hebrew. His big childhood dream was to enlist in the IDF.
“He was energetic, colorful and joyful, and he faced real challenges in the army because of the language gap. The army does not always easily accept people who are different, and he went through difficult periods. I did not go deeply into what he experienced during his combat service and in Gaza. He would say that serving in the IDF was a good opportunity.
“He had tremendous motivation. He immigrated to Israel alone at a young age out of Zionism. Ari used to say there was no chance his parents would immigrate, but that his siblings might. He encouraged them to enlist and brought his younger brother and sister to visit Israel. On Monday, he accompanied his brother to the induction office. And today, he was supposed to be discharged.”
Elissaf added that Goldberg held a discharge party on Sunday with his brother and friends. “We are in shock. He was looking forward to civilian life, bought a car and enrolled at the university. His brother’s enlistment was a major success for him.”
After taking his brother to the induction center, Goldberg arranged to transfer the lease of his apartment to his brother, where they were supposed to live together. “His brother does not understand,” Elissaf said. “He said, ‘I came here, to Israel, thinking we would be together and spend Shabbat together.’ It is unimaginable.”
Yosef, another member of Goldberg’s adoptive family in Israel, said, “It was important to him to enlist as a combat soldier. He wanted the Combat Engineering Corps and was very happy to get it. Once he decided to immigrate, I helped him find an apartment to rent in Dimona and work until his enlistment. Throughout his service, he was very happy to be part of the fighters and the unit. He loved doing challenging and meaningful things and showed little fear of danger.”