DAVE GORDON 

Nir Maman, 47, was born in Israel, and moved to Canada with his family as a young boy. He returned to Israel, where he served as a soldier in an elite unit and worked in counter terrorism before relocating to North America. He has more than two decades of distinguished experience in Israeli Military Special Operations, Police Tactical Operations, and High-Risk Security Operations. Immediately after the October 7th attacks, he flew to Israel and re-enlisted in the IDF. He was initially assigned to ensure the security of the residents of Hebron, as his team captured and arrested would-be terrorists. He says it is little known that another large-scale terror attack in Judea and Samaria (Yehuda and Shomron) was planned to coincide with the Gaza attack, but thankfully that massive attack was thwarted. Today, the IDF continues wider operations in the area to prevent violence. 

In March and May of this year, Nir served in Gaza in the IDF’s Special Forces Unit 906. 

Previously, Nir’s list of service includes his work at the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT) based at the Reichman University in Herzliya, Israel. There he served as Commander of the International Joint Forces Training Section. He developed and provided specialized training in counter-terror warfare, hostage rescue, and krav maga (an Israeli martial art designed for the IDF) for international Special Forces, including teams from the U.S. preparing for critical missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

In April 2009, Nir was honored with the Distinguished Service Award by IDF for his exceptional service. 

Community Magazine’s (CM) Interview with Nir Maman (NM) 

CM: How was it possible for the attacks on Oct. 7th to even happen? 

NM: There are many answers to that question. The threat assessment that was made by the Israeli Military Intelligence Division was that the South, the Gaza border, was not under a significant threat. You can go back three years prior to October 7th, and see there was a lot of activity, a lot of demonstrations and riots. There were kite bombs that the Arabs were sending over. We had a rash of the forest fires, all deliberate, incendiary terrorism.  

The intelligence apparatus had no reason to believe for a second that there was anything significant that would happen [in the South]. I don’t necessarily fault our intelligence apparatus. We’re still looking into answers. We were obviously in holiday mode since Simchat Torah was coming up, which always raises the concern level for attacks. Gaza is confined, secured by a border fence. We, of course, know there was a lot of overestimations put into the fence. However, from pre-attack pre-October 7th analysis, they figured the border fence was secured.  

The West Bank scenario is not like this. The majority of all of the Arab villages and towns (and there are tons of them) are relatively open. It’s easy access for these Arabs to be able to travel through the West Bank and get into Israeli territory. So, a lot of the resources were depleted from the South, and were relocated to the West Bank, to boost up the Israeli presence and the response capabilities should anything happen there. And so that was very evident. When October 7th happened, the South was an absolute mess, depleted of resources. Everyone was trying to understand what was going on.  

A lot of units and battalions and brigades understood that something was going on, and they just started on their own, to do the right thing, to gather up everybody and start to mobilize to the South. While that was happening, the response was also paralleled in Judea and Samaria.  

After October 7th, there was an elevated number of attacks that were still going on in Judea and Samaria. 

CM: What kind of attacks? 

NM: Molotov cocktails, stabbing attacks. We had several shooting attacks that took place, at all hours of the night, on a weekly basis. There was a Border Patrol police officer, a female, that drove her patrol vehicle over a landmine that was planted there, and it blew up. That was the first incident of that kind.  

CM: What was Gaza like? 

NM: Our main task was ultimately to take over various zones and buildings where a lot of terror activity was taking place. Our job would be to enter the buildings, clear them, and eliminate any terrorists, to search for tunnels, and to search for any intelligence that would give us indicators as to where hostages potentially were. I was invited to join a new unit being put together, of some of the most elite units in the IDF.  

CM: Can you give us an overview of being in battle? 

NM: I lost friends on October 7th and 8th, throughout the response to the invasion. Almost on a daily basis you would hear of soldiers being wounded or killed. And almost every single time that such an incident would occur, if you didn’t know the soldier, then you knew somebody who knew them.  

The “450 Company” went in to clear a building that was laced with IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices). The building blew up on them, three soldiers were killed, another 15 were severely injured. And so, there isn’t a day that goes by that somehow, you may have dodged a bullet. 

Khan Yunis specifically is known for all of its IEDs. Part of that is because when the IDF began its incursion into Gaza through the north, all the terrorist factions understood that Central Gaza would be next. And they began to booby trap a lot of Central Gaza – the buildings as well as the tunnels. And so, it was almost like playing Russian roulette. Whenever we would have to go into a building to clear it, we would hope that there were no booby traps. 

There’s a lot of smoke in the air [in Gaza], there’s constant explosions going on, constant bombings happening. You can smell the explosions. You can smell the lead. You right away know you’re in a different world.  

Before we actually hit a neighborhood or buildings that we were tasked with going into, we roll in with tanks and armored vehicles. Strategically we will fire various munitions and missiles into different parts of the building, such as the walls, to create openings that we will go in through, so we will not walk in through conventional doors or through windows. Those are the first places terrorists will hide explosives. 

Next, we shake up the building and create other explosions that will hopefully trigger the IEDs and cause them to blow up so that we don’t become the trigger mechanisms. 

CM: Here is something a lot of people are struggling with – what is the difference between regular Palestinians in Gaza, and Hamas?  

NM: The statistical fact – not my opinion, not the opinion of the IDF – (through more than enough surveys that have been carried out, and through a long process of information gleaned from the Palestinian population) we today sit at close to 80% of the Palestinian population fully supporting Hamas, and fully embodying the same ideology. Whenever a Palestinian terrorist would carry out a terror attack, slaughtering innocent Jewish lives, what happens in Gaza and in the West Bank? Celebrations. This is what their culture is, this is what their ideology is. Unfortunately, I think that it’s been too many generations of them having indoctrinated and radicalized themselves. They blame Jews for their circumstances. It’s their own doing, unfortunately. 

On Oct. 7th they came across the Nova Music Festival, which was a surprise to them. The second wave that came in, approximately a thousand terrorists whose job was to set up a response to the IDF, the police and the security forces. They set up at intersections, to take out power grids. The third wave was all of your regular Palestinians. They’re the ones that came in, did a lot of the savagery – the burning of the families, the beheading of the babies, a lot of the kidnapping. So those were not Hamas. Those were regular Palestinians. 

You see the Palestinian population dancing, celebrating, and hitting the bodies of the young women that were brought in. I want to believe that there’s good everywhere. But if we look at it, statistically, we probably have about 20% of the Palestinian population that I think are actually normal, and love their children more than they hate us. And I feel very bad for them.  

CM: During your recent service in Gaza, what have you discovered that was revealing? 

NM: There’s no place where you can wander in Gaza, and no building we take over, where you’re not finding some sort of connection to the terror nexus.  

Throughout buildings you find combat-related material, propaganda, fake children-related paraphernalia – that you can tell it’s not real, but is set up for the media, to spin their narrative, that IDF of have gone into a building, blew it up, and it was where children lived.  

The IDF went back into Shifa Hospital in early May. It was laced with hundreds and hundreds of terrorists. This also just goes to show you that the moment that we leave an area in Gaza, they are simply going to repopulate immediately.  

In Brain Lock, Dr. Jeffrey Schwartz introduces the concept developed by 18th century philosopher Adam Smith called the “impartial spectator.”  All of us carry around an impartial spectator. It watches us like a fly on the wall. Using this impartial spectator, we can observe ourselves objectively, and describe our own thoughts and feelings, e.g., “I’m feeling lazy.” But we wonder: If we listen and give into that feeling, is that us? If not, then who is talking? What are these two forces?  

 Along similar lines, in The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People Stephen R. Covey instructs his readers to project their consciousness upward into a corner of the room and watch themselves, almost as if they are someone else. To view themselves in their mind’s eye and then identify their mood: What are you currently feeling? What is your current mental state? This ability, called “self-awareness,” is uniquely human. Only a human being can think about his own thought processes. Animals have no self-awareness.   

 It follows that if we can think objectively about our thought process, that thought process is not us. We are not our feelings, thoughts, or moods. This also affects how we see other people. It helps us judge them favorably, and it helps us to judge ourselves favorably, as well. If we are about to make a biting comment, we can hold ourselves back and say, “I’m not sarcastic. That acerbic remark is just an urge I need to restrain.”  

  Rav Wolbe discusses how the concept of daat, of knowledge, is necessary for any acquisition, whether physical, emotional, intellectual, or psychological. We cannot really own something unless we know it is ours.   

 The following true story illustrates this point.  

 Toward the beginning of World War II, a wealthy man approached Rav Chaim Kreiswirth, later rosh yeshivah and rav in Eretz Yisrael and Belgium, and asked for a favor. “The chances of me surviving this war are close to nil. But you are still young and you just might make it, and I know you are a responsible individual.   

 “Recently,” he continued, “I transferred all my funds to a Swiss bank account. Please memorize the following numbers, the numbers to my account. If someone in my family makes it through and you meet up with him, please give him the information.” Rav Chaim, who had almost total recall, committed the numbers to memory and eventually wrote them down.   

 Decades later, Rav Chaim took note of an unkempt beggar in his neighborhood. Something about him looked familiar. He asked the man for his name and, indeed, it was the son of the wealthy man! Rav Chaim quickly filled him in on the story and gave him the numbers to the account in Switzerland. Overnight, the beggar went from rags to riches.   

 In truth, as Rav Chaim highlighted, though he was living like a pauper, this individual was a millionaire all along. Yet he never knew.  

 If we possess no knowledge of our assets, then they are not really ours. When we are aware of who we are, then we actually have ourselves.  

  Picture all the forces inside us like a jackhammer. A jackhammer is very powerful. It can quickly and efficiently chisel its way through hard surfaces, such as asphalt highways and rock walls. Yet it is very heavy and unwieldy. It must be gripped tightly or it can wreak havoc. Our mind is also very powerful, with all kinds of thoughts competing for our attention.  

 When we daydream, we are letting go and not controlling our thoughts. But when we take hold of the “jackhammer,” and our daat is in control, we can start “drilling” with it and there is no end to what we can achieve.   

 We must become aware of the forces inside of us, as well as our ability to control them – that is our daat. Let your daat decide what it wants to hold onto, and what it wants to let go of.  

 Remember: You are not your thoughts. For example, if you notice someone performing an action that is beneath your standards, instead of lashing out at them or even thinking negative thoughts, hold yourself back and say, “I am not judgmental. That critical thought is just an urge I need to restrain. Instead, I will give this individual the benefit of the doubt.”  

Victor Cohen 

Last month, Hillel Yeshiva hosted its annual Seventh Grade Jewish Heritage Fair, which showcased the work the seventh grade class did to research their individual family histories. In preparing for the heritage fair, these seventh graders not only learned about their family backgrounds,  they also learned to appreciate and embrace their unique ancestry. For a community like ours, which is built upon the value of understanding what has come before, this program acts as a brilliant way for students to delve into the world of their ancestors and to develop a strong sense of pride for their heritage. 

Mrs. Sally Cohen is the director of the Sephardic Heritage Program in Hillel’s Middle and High Schools. She explained that the fair  was “a culmination of a year’s long work by the seventh grade class, researching their personal family stories of where they came from, and how they began life in a new country.” 

The Heart of Our Heritage – Our Families 

The students’ work was showcased that night, with detailed family trees, write ups of the historical origins of the students’ family names, transcripts of conversations with grandparents or great-grandparents, and even family artifacts – some dating as far back as the 1700s! Those attending could clearly see the students’ effort, passion, and care they put into these projects. The night was a true celebration of our beautiful Sephardic heritage. 

According to Mrs. Cohen, Hillel’s Heritage Program was created by the former Jewish Heritage teacher, Mrs. Susan Rishty, who oversaw it for over 25 years. As a former Hillel student,  I personally felt the impact of Mrs. Rishty’s program, which influenced my outlook on my own family’s history. I remember the conversations I had with my grandfather about his grandfather when I was at Hillel. And I even remember my family artifact – my great-grandfather’s tefillin. 

A Night to Remember 

The event took place in Hillel Yeshiva’s Founders Hall. The location was especially fitting, as the hall was dedicated in honor of Hillel Yeshiva’s three founders: Saul Ashkenazie, Ely Ashkenazie, and Morris Franco. When visitors first walked in they saw the walls were draped with flags from Israel, Syria, Egypt, Turkey, Iraq, Lebanon, Morocco, Spain, Russia, Tunisia, and Poland, all countries where students’ ancestors lived. 

Past the flags was a section dedicated to familiar foods alongside their international origins. There were rugalach from Hungary, macarons from France, baby kaak from Lebanon, and adjweh from Syria to name a few. 

Lovingly Displayed Artifacts 

Close by were the students’ family artifacts, set up museum style with the artifacts and family heirlooms accompanied by identifying information. The students collected the items that were displayed while researching their family histories. The items were lovingly brought in order to showcase them as proud symbols of the students’ families unique family journeys. The students themselves were adorned with emblems noting their representative countries, and all the students stood behind their artifacts as curators of their very own mini museums. 

The artifacts were sorted according to categories, and included items such as siddurim, megillot, Kiddush cups, antique kitchen tools, and Shabbat candle sticks. One student even brought in an oud from Syria, which is a stringed instrument similar to a guitar. Another student brought in a darbuka, which is a goblet-shaped drum. Others brought photos and documents from their ancestors. 

On to the Speeches 

After a short reception, visitors were ushered into the Gindi Auditorium for the next part of the program.  

The Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Saul Kassin, opened by illustrating the impact learning about one’s heritage can have. He said, “It is very important to know where you come from, so that you can tap into who you are – your parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents. There are so many things that they have done in their lives to build the life you have today. When you look back at who they were, you yourself will learn how you want to continue the great legacy of the Jewish people.” Hillel’s Principal, Rabbi Katz, spoke next, and noted his admiration for the care our community possesses concerning our past. He was happy to learn of the deep rootedness of our community’s history and felt proud to know that this knowledge would be transmitted to the next generation. Especially at such a young age, this outlook is an important trait to instill, and will help to create our leaders of the future. 

 Mrs. Cohen’s older brother, Sammy Saka, spoke about the importance of “learning from our history,” and said, “We came from humble beginnings. Let us never forget that.” He turned to Mrs. Cohen, and said that their father, Mr. Charles Saka, a”h, would be proud of the work she has done tonight. Regarding the future, he gave a strong message. “We must teach our heritage to our children.” 

Rabbi Ike Hanon recited the Mi Shebereach for the Israeli soldiers. Then, the Middle School Principal, Mrs. Eidelman, spoke. She said that the program was always her favorite event of the year, and expressed admiration for Mrs. Sally Cohen. “You need the right type of person to teach this type of program. You have to know the heritage, you have to know the community history, and you have to be very passionate about giving it over and also be a very good teacher.” 

Mrs. Cohen then spoke, thanking everyone who made the night possible. She also spoke about her father, Mr. Charles Saka, a”h, thanking him “for instilling in me a passion and love for our community’s rich history and traditions.” Quoting him, she continued, “We are standing on the shoulders of the giants that came before us and it is our responsibility to build upon their efforts for the next generation.” 

Mrs. Cohen described what the seventh graders learned. “They learned about what life was like there – what languages were spoken, what kind of foods were eaten, and the difference between the total Jewish population from then until now. 

“We then discussed entry to America, why they left their countries, how they came, and who came with them…They watched the process many of their ancestors went through in order to be granted entry into America.” 

This night, she said, “is a testament to their visions of creativity, inspiration, and focus.”  

A few of the students spoke, mainly talking about how much they learned and how much they were surprised to learn. One student, David Dayan, said, “When we first started I thought I already knew everything about my family. But as the year went on, I realized how much I had yet to learn.” 

Project Displays 

After the speeches, Mrs. Cohen directed everyone to area where the projects were displayed. Included were the family trees, transcripts of the interviews with elderly family members, and name documents. 

The family trees were designed to connect to what the students have learned about their families. One student found that members of his family used to sell Turkish coffee, so he included coffee stains in his tree’s design. Another student, with Egyptian heritage, made his family tree in the shape of a pyramid! 

As part of their projects, students interviewed elderly family members about life in a different time, asked why they are proud to be an American Jew, and asked for any advice to give to future generations. One interviewee boiled down a lifetime of lessons into two sentences. “Always be happy. Hashem does everything for the good.” The students took these interviews, and the gems of knowledge from them, and included them in framed biographies, which included the pictures of those they interviewed. 

What’s in a Name?  

One of the topics students addressed was where does your name come from? The students researched the meaning of their names in English, Hebrew, and sometimes Arabic. One student, Isaac, found that the meaning of his name in Hebrew came from the word to laugh. He connected this to his own life by recognizing that he brings laughter to his family.  

The students also looked into who they were named after, and how that relative connects to them in some way. If they were not named after any of their relatives, they researched why they were given their name. 

Recommended Reading to Learn About Our Heritage 

Treasuring and learning about our heritage is a way to maintain our values and traditions. Community programs such as a Jewish Heritage Fair are a wonderful and creative way to help to keep our rich and beautiful heritage alive for the next generation. Here are Mrs. Cohen’s book recommendations for anyone interested in learning about our community’s esteemed history.  

1. Men of Faith and Vision by Sam Catton, a”h: This trilogy goes through the early history of our community, the building of Synagogue Magen David of 67th Street, and records the lives of visionaries and leaders from our past, such as Isaac Shalom, Hacham Matloub Abadi, and Rabbi Jacob Kassin. 
2. Nouri – The story of Isidore Dayan, and the growth of a vibrant community in America by Devora Gliksman: This book follows Mr. Isadore “Nouri” Dayan’s influential life within the community. It also follows the spiritual leaders of the time, the Masalton’s, and the esteemed Bibi family, as well as the development of the Ahi Ezer community.