Yarin Levin

Twenty-four-year-old Yarin Levin had completed his Israel Defense Forces (IDF) service as an officer and was preparing to study at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev when, on October 7, his life took a most unexpected turn. A night of joyous celebration at the Tribe of Nova trance music festival in Re’im in the south of Israel turned into a deadly massacre, and Levin, whose military service included executing rescue operations, was thrust into a role he could not have anticipated.

At 7 in the morning, gunfire and missile attacks pierced the air, disrupting the peace Levin had known just moments before. Amidst the ensuing chaos, he found himself guiding people to safety, attending to the wounded – physically and mentally – and trying his utmost to stay alive. With the roads blocked and danger surrounding him, Levin began the 25-kilometer trek on foot to reach Kibbutz Patish.

The gravity of his situation intensified profoundly when Levin learned of the death of his best friend from childhood, a soldier who fought bravely in the battles of Kibbutz Kfar Aza, preventing advancing terrorists from reaching innocent families. Despite this tragic loss, Levin displayed remarkable resilience. Determined to contribute in the aftermath of the catastrophe and after a mere three hours sleep, he headed out to serve in the reserves and further defend his people and his country.

Levin’s experience stands as a testament to the harsh realities of Israeli life: the fragility of peace and the cost of war, this one triggered by unimaginably brutal terror attacks. Levin, who doesn’t shy from discussing his ordeal or fielding difficult questions about it, seeks to spotlight the severity of the massacre, emphasizing that such horrific events can touch anyone, anywhere. His story is a deeply powerful reminder of the human toll incurred by the escalation of heinous terrorism and the indomitable spirit and resolve that can triumph in the face of unfathomable tragedy.