'Defender of Israel Award' goes to three men who willingly put their lives on the line on Oct. 7

(JNS) — During the attacks and atrocities committed by Hamas terrorists in southern Israel on Oct. 7, Elchanan Kalmanson, his brother Menachem Kalmanson and their nephew, Itiel, drove toward the Gaza Strip under heavy rocket fire, ready to defend their country with their lives.

Arriving at Kibbutz Be’eri, they started evacuating houses, hoping to save whoever they could inside, unfortunately discovering that in many instances, there was no one left to save.

On Oct. 8, the second day of their rescue mission, they were ambushed by terrorists. Elcahanan was shot, dying in Menachem’s arms, leaving behind a mother, father, brother, wife and five children.

Now, once again, Menachem was able to honor his and his brother’s heroism, as he accepted the “Defender of Israel” award on Elchanan’s behalf and in his memory. The award was presented by the Steve Maisel Foundation at the RJC Annual Leadership Summit held earlier this month in Las Vegas.

“I feel it is important that American Jews hear, meet and speak with some of the heroes of Israel in the fight against terrorists wanting to eliminate Jews and the State of Israel,” Maisel told JNS. “The Republican Jewish Coalition gives them the medium to do this.

So it was in front of that convention that Maisel gave his speech to the crowd, beginning: “Each year, we honor individuals whose service to the Jewish people and the State of Israel has gone above and beyond. He then invited Menachem to speak.

The Israeli began somberly, briefly summarizing that horrific day.

“Despite the fear, we knew that when murderers walk [among] us, we do not have a choice; we must continue,” Menachem said in his acceptance speech. “And so we did. Time and time again.”

After recapping his story, through tears, Menachem explained that he wasn’t there to tell it in full, but rather to honor “the spirit that lit” in them.

“As we currently face the forces of evil, we believe that we not only stand as defenders of the State of Israel, but for the Jewish people all around the globe,” he said. “In Israel, you can always be certain that your brother will always come to help you.”

As he concluded his speech to rousing applause, Maisel approached Menachem with a plaque. “We proudly present this award … for his courageous efforts to save lives under terrorist fire in the Battle of Be’eri.”

This was just one of the three heroes honored.

‘In the heart of the action’

The second award recipient of the evening, Itamar Charlap, is a member of Yamam, a special counter-terrorism unit within the Israeli Border Police.

His unit was stationed near Kibbutz Nahal Oz, putting him on the front lines when Hamas terrorists invaded that Black Shabbat morning. His commander was killed, and Charlap almost died from blood loss in the ensuing fighting but was saved when his team took an armored truck and drove themselves to safety.

“My teammates and I, we were in the heart of it—in the heart of the action—fighting for our lives and the lives of the people in the kibbutz,” he said. “It was a surreal and terrifying experience that will stay with me forever.”

During the battle, when he was injured, he dragged himself over to a bush hoping for a “moment of safety to try and stop the bleeding” so that he could keep on fighting. Then he saw it: a grenade. It landed right between his legs, and in that moment, he recounted, “time seemed to freeze.” He closed his eyes, recited the Shema and accepted his fate. By some miracle, the grenade didn’t detonate.

“And I’m still here,” he said to applause.

He concluded his speech by acknowledging the sacrifice of his unit and all soldiers protecting Israel, saying there must be continued support.

“Let this be a reminder, let this be a call for action: We must never allow our soldiers, our ‘shield,’ to feel alone in their darkest hours,” he said.

He told JNS that receiving the award “was a deeply meaningful and humbling moment, not just as personal recognition, but as an honor that represented so many others, all the brave soldiers who have been wounded and for those who continue to fight,” adding, “This award symbolized not only the battles we’ve fought but is a tribute to the courage we are seeing to this day.”

‘Future generation can live without fear’

Former Commissioner of Israel Police Yaakov (“Kobi”) Shabtai has had a long and illustrious career in the Israeli armed forces. He was discharged from the Israel Defense Forces in 1987 after receiving the rank of captain and joined the Israeli Police in 1991. He eventually served as the deputy commissioner of the Israeli Border Police until eventually serving as commissioner, a position he held when Hamas attacked on Oct. 7.

“The men and women under Chief Shabtai’s command fought courageously against the overwhelming odds in the Gaza envelope on Oct. 7,” Maisel said, introducing Shabtai, who appeared by video at the awards ceremony since he was unable to attend in person due to the ongoing war.

“I’m truly honored to receive this award from such an important organization,” he said. “It is a privilege to be recognized by a group that has always [supported] the Jewish community and fought for the values we all share. Keeping Jews safe has always been my top priority.”

Though retired, he stated that his mission is far from over. “We will do whatever it takes to protect our people in our homeland,” he said.

He then spoke about the global rise of antisemitism, whether it’s violent attacks or feeling unsafe to express one’s Jewish identity. “We must continue to fight antisemitism in every way we can so the future generation can live without fear and be proud of their Jewish identity.”

Maisel said he would be traveling to Israel the week after the convention and present the award in person.