Seven Sydney friends enlist as IDF lone soldiers, driven by October 7 and Bondi attack

Seven friends from Sydney, Australia, have completed their basic and advanced combat training to receive their light-green berets, signifying their enlistment as lone soldiers in the IDF's Nahal Brigade. These young men had spent a year in Israel, engaging in yeshiva studies or experiential programs, but chose to leave their families and friends behind in Australia to serve.

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I hated the idea that Israel was fighting while I felt helpless in Sydney. It was around the time of my end-of-year exams, but I just wanted to start my year in Israel.

The path to enlistment varied among the friends, with influences ranging from Bnei Akiva programs to family history and friends already serving in the IDF. However, the October 7 attacks served as a pivotal moment for all seven, fueling a desire to act rather than feel helpless while Israel was engaged in conflict.

This sense of helplessness took on a new dimension on December 14, 2025, when two terrorists attacked a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach, killing 15 people and wounding 40. One of the soldiers learned of the attack while in training, grappling with the surreal experience of being armed and able to protect Jews in Israel while his own family was in danger in Sydney.

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He said there had been an attack at Bondi, and my first thought was ‘Who was there?’ Then I was trying to get names and work out whether everyone was safe while we were still in the middle of training. I had a gun on me, which was incredibly strange. I could protect Jews in Israel but not my own family in Sydney.

The Bondi attack also shifted the soldiers' focus, leading them to worry more about their families' safety in Australia than their own, a reversal of their parents' usual concern. This heightened anxiety comes amid a significant rise in anti-Jewish incidents in Australia, including arson attacks on synagogues and businesses, and vandalism, creating an atmosphere of intimidation following the October 7 events.

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My parents are normally the ones asking if I’m okay and whether the army is looking after me. After Bondi, I was the one calling them. I worry more about them now than they worry about me.