Leadership, values and quiet excellence: In memory of Capt. Beni Wais
Capt. Beni Wais was the eldest child of Inna and Eli and a source of pride and joy to his family. From an early age, he stood out for a distinctive combination of inner calm, sound judgment and endless curiosity. He loved strategy games, puzzles and sports, and was driven by a constant desire to excel.
Beni practiced taekwondo from the age of 6 and won second place in the Israeli championship, but his disappointment at not taking first place only pushed him to aim higher in every area of his life. He excelled in his science-track studies, earned outstanding marks in programming on his matriculation exams and loved Israel’s landscapes, hiking around the country whenever he had the opportunity.
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An anchor and a role model
For his friends, Beni was a steady anchor and a role model. They remember him as modest, shy and cautious, but beneath his reserved demeanor was a loyal, caring and deeply devoted friend. “Beni was the kind of person everyone was drawn to,” his friends recalled. “He always looked out for others and was always there when you needed him, no matter what.”
The personal traditions he created with his friends, including spending Yom Kippur together, reflected how deeply he cherished those close to him and the values they shared.
When the COVID-19 pandemic began, Beni enlisted in the Armored Corps. He saw his military service as a calling and was deeply influenced by his family’s legacy. After training as a commander and platoon sergeant at the Shizafon training base, he devoted himself to preparing the next generation of Armored Corps soldiers and commanders.
On the morning of Oct. 7, while at home, Beni immediately understood the gravity of the moment. Without hesitation, he asked his father to drive him urgently to the assembly point so he could join the fighting. Though he was assigned to train recruits, Beni was determined to reach the front. He approached a battalion commander heading into battle and asked to join him and fight alongside the troops.
“Beni wanted us to be happy”
On Nov. 2, 2023, during the fighting in the northern Gaza Strip, Beni entered combat with the forces. Out of a deep sense of responsibility and concern for the troops in the field, he opened the tank hatch to make sure his comrades were protected and would not be harmed. At that moment, an anti-tank missile struck the tank, killing Beni in battle. He was 22.
As his mother said: “Beni gave his life so that we could go on living and being happy, so we are trying very, very hard to do that.”
Capt. Beni Wais is survived by his parents, siblings and grieving friends, and leaves behind a proud legacy of courage, values, humility and love of country.
Capt. Beni Wais, of the IDF’s 460th Brigade, was killed in action on Nov. 2, 2023. He was 22.
May his memory be a blessing.
Captain
Beni Wais