Even during operational activity, Staff Sgt. D., a paramedic, homeroom teacher and grade coordinator at Amit High School in Modiin, does not pause for a moment. Even as interceptions thunder overhead, he insists on teaching his students via Zoom.
As a military paramedic with advanced certification to perform emergency procedures and administer blood transfusions in the field, D. operates at the heart of combat activity alongside commando forces deep inside Lebanon. Having already completed nearly 400 days of reserve duty, D. serves as a forward medical responder with advanced lifesaving capabilities on the ground. Despite the difficult circumstances, he refuses to give up. In every spare moment between operations, he opens his computer and teaches according to the regular school schedule.
In the current deployment, he has already been mobilized for 60 days. Even when he was stationed in Syria and now in Lebanon, he has refused to abandon his students. At his request, and in coordination with parents and the school principal, no substitute was appointed, allowing him to continue teaching whenever possible. “It was important for me to continue leading the grade myself,” he said. “Even when there are explosions in the background and missile interceptions right above my head, I am there with them. I will not accept temporary solutions. This connection between me and the students gives strength to both sides.”
D. is giving his class a life lesson no textbook can provide. Students see their teacher in uniform, sometimes immediately after a night of complex operations, and receive a living example of dedication, Zionism and responsibility. “I feel a great privilege,” he said. “We are fighting for our home, both in Lebanon and in educating the next generation.”
Staff Sgt. D.: “Even when there are explosions in the background and missile interceptions right above my head, I am there with them. I will not accept temporary solutions. This connection between me and the students is what gives both sides resilience.”
According to Rabbi Lior Chikotai, principal of Amit Boys Modiin, “D.’s presence, even via Zoom from behind enemy lines, instills confidence and pride in the students. Until he returns to the school hallways, he continues to prove that the Israeli spirit is stronger than any missile.”
Alon Aviv, one of D.’s students, said he was moved by his teacher’s dedication. “Seeing your teacher leave his children and family for reserve duty is not something you take for granted. Even though he is teaching from Lebanon, we are keeping up and covering the material.”