Strength in silence: Remembering Staff Sgt. Erez (Choocky) Mishlovsky
Staff Sgt. Erez (Choocky) Mishlovsky, a soldier in the Givati Brigade, was killed in combat in the northern Gaza Strip on Oct. 31, 2023, at just 20 years old. Erez was quiet, humble and highly professional, a young man whose inner strength came from his modesty and calm demeanor. He was a talented, dedicated basketball player, and his friends and commanders knew they could always rely on him.
1 / 4
By age 16, Erez had already decided to become a combat soldier, determined to meet the highest standards of excellence. When the fighting broke out, he entered battle with his head held high, determined to defend his country. In a deeply moving letter he left beneath his protective vest, he wrote: "If I'm going in, it's for my family, my friends and my people ... Now it's my turn to protect you." Alongside those words was his guiding motto in life: "If you're going to do something, do it all the way."
Erez was killed alongside 10 of his fellow soldiers when the Namer armored personnel carrier they were traveling in was struck by an anti-tank missile in the northern Gaza Strip.
His legacy lives on through the "Derech Erez" ("Erez's Way") initiative, which honors the values he embodied: moving forward with confidence, love of country, quiet generosity and a commitment to seeing every task through to the end, to the highest possible standard.
Staff Sgt. Erez (Choocky) Mishlovsky, Givati Brigade, was killed in action on Oct. 31, 2023, at the age of 20.
May his memory be a blessing.
Staff Sergeant
Erez (Choocky) Mishlovsky