The Heart of the Company and the Light of the Home: The Story of Staff Sgt. Haim Sabach OBM
Staff Sgt. Haim Sabach, a fighter in the Border Defense Corps, was killed in combat in Malkia on the Lebanese border on the 30th of Nisan 5784 (May 8, 2024). He was the son of Michal and Avraham, and brother to Yarden and Chen.
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Haim was 20 at the time of his death. He was an exceptional figure who combined gentleness of spirit with combat determination, boundless generosity and an infectious joy for life. His story is one of a constant choice to put others first, of deep comradeship, and of a young man who at every crossroads in his life chose the hardest and most value-driven path.
The child who brought light to the family
The beginning of Haim’s life was intertwined with great family joy. His father, Avi Sabach, recalls the early days when Haim filled the home with new light. “When Haim was born, we were in the middle of moving from one apartment to another. We were living in Holon, and during the transition we stayed with his grandmother. From the moment he was born, his grandmother looked after him.”
His sister, Chen Shar, describes the immediate impact the new baby had on the entire family. “He brought light and joy into the house. He brought happiness. Suddenly my parents were back to diapers and all the baby stuff.”
Already as a young teenager, Haim showed a caring and mature side that was rare for his age. His love for children was not just a hobby but part of who he was. His father says proudly: “A 16-and-a-half-year-old kid taking care of children, babysitting. And he really loved it — he looked forward to it.”
The special bond between Haim and his teacher
During his school years, Haim formed deep relationships that became almost familial. Avi Shimon, his teacher, speaks of a bond that long exceeded the conventional boundaries between teacher and student. “I was privileged that Haim saw me as more than a teacher — he saw me as an older brother. He consulted me about everything and shared everything with me. And after he was killed, I realized that I, too, had been sharing everything with him. It’s such a special feeling — someone you first know as a student, but the responsibility and closeness are those of a brother.”
Teacher Avi also witnessed Haim’s personal growth and his significant romantic relationship, which began with an excited phone call from a vacation in Eilat. “Haim was in Eilat during summer break and told me about a girl he had met. I said to him, ‘Haim, then why are you calling me? Why are you talking to me? Go talk to her!’ Then he called me and said, ‘Avi, I got her phone number.’ That led to a relationship that lasted three and a half years — his first serious relationship.”
The fighter who would not give up: “I’m not going to be a desk job soldier”
When Haim faced enlistment, he stood before a complex choice. Due to family circumstances, he was given the option to serve close to home. His sister Chen explains: “Because we have a sister with special needs, we had the option to give up a combat role and be home every day. Haim chose not to give up being a combat soldier.” His father adds that once he decided, there was no turning back. “When he decided, that was it. In the end I told him, ‘OK, where are you going?’ He said, ‘I’m going to enlist.’”
Even within the military system, Haim remained true to himself. When he was assigned to a company sergeant major role, a more logistical position, he felt something was missing. Chen says, “He wanted to return to a combat role and be with his friends because he didn’t feel fulfilled.” His determination affected even the officers around him, as teacher Avi Shimon recounts. “His commander, the officer in charge, was a relatively young, new officer. And that commander says, every time he speaks at a ceremony, ‘Haim changed me as a commander.’”
The battalion’s psychologist: “He sits and listens to your troubles”
Haim’s dream after his discharge was to study psychology, but in practice he lived that calling every day among his fellow soldiers. His father Avi says: “Haim wanted to study psychology. I told him, ‘Haim, what do you have to do with psychology? Forget it, until you get a master’s degree, until you study all that.’ There was someone in his battalion named Giovanni who said, ‘Listen, I sat with him on guard duty for three hours. For three hours he sat with me, I talked, and he absorbed everything.’ From that I understood who Haim was.”
His sister Chen adds that this ability to contain and understand others was his defining trait among all the soldiers. “The soldiers said you could talk to that person for hours and hours, and he would sit and listen to you, to your troubles and everything you were going through, and he would understand.”
The final battle: “Putting others first”
On the day he was killed, May 8, 2024, Haim embodied the value of comradeship at its highest level. “Haim was assigned to a mission in Malkia,” his father recalls of his final hours. “Around 2 p.m. he sent the guys to eat and told them, ‘As soon as someone finishes, come and relieve me.’ It was immediate. He ran in their direction. The first mortar round hit and knocked out the generator at the outpost. Haim ran toward it. They say he went in the other direction, not toward a protected position. But in fact, he was running toward the dining hall to warn his friends. And on the way, he was hit by the second mortar.”
His sister Chen sees that final act as the essence of who he was. “Those are values of mutual respect, of putting others at the center and not yourself. Even the way he was killed — either he could have gone into a shelter and he would be with us today, or he could go and try to save his friends, the way he ran to the dining hall.”
The light that remains: “A love he didn’t wait to get back”
Haim’s absence is felt in every corner of the home and the school. Teacher Avi Shimon sums up the legacy he left behind. “What remains of Haim is joy for life. Haim would walk into a house and bring light with him, with a smile, with dancing steps, with a joke. In the end, Haim helped me remain the teacher and the person I want to be for my students.”
Chen seeks to preserve the deepest essence of her brother. “The thing I most want to keep from Haim’s presence in my life is his kindness — his kindness and the love he spread to others. It was love he didn’t wait to receive in return.”
May his memory be a blessing.
Staff Sergeant
Haim Sabach OBM