Susan R. Eisenstein – Let The World Know: A Series Honoring Israel’s Fallen And Wounded Heroes: Moaz Morell
I will begin my third piece in this series, as I began my previous two pieces in this series. I think that it is important.
So for this year, Yom Hazikaron has passed. But it has not, not really. And it never really will ever pass, not any day of any year. The precious lights and souls that our nation has lost all too early due to senseless, baseless hatred, centuries of false narratives, historically incorrect and rewritten narratives, and death-informed ideology need to be remembered and honored worldwide, ALWAYS, by all persons. Their stories show the waste, horror, and the cost of evil. And their stories need to remind the world of a nation’s people who are killed and murdered and live under threat every day, simply for being HUMAN and defending their country, simply for wanting to live in peace, be allowed to grow up, have dreams, a profession, a life like everyone else, and bring goodness and kindness to the world. They were mothers, fathers, siblings, cousins, grandparents, and friends. And the positive gifts that they would have brought to the world will now never be known.
May their memories be a blessing.
Statistics can be meaningful if used correctly. Unfortunately, our nation has too many meaningful sad statistics, statistics of our fallen and wounded. However, behind every statistic there is a story, a story that lives and breathes and is not sterile. And that is why I continue to tell the stories of our incredibly brave IDF heroes, to keep their memories as HUMANS alive.
This piece is a tribute to the courage of Varda Morell. Courage for telling me the story of her fallen hero son, Staff Sergeant Moaz Morell, so that I can let the world know. Let the world know of his life and spirit and that he will always be with the ones who love him and the ones who know the true cost of sacrifice and the true love for Israel. And of course, this piece is a tribute to Staff Sergeant Moaz Morell, for being one of Israel’s defenders and for being the person that he was.
Maoz was born and raised in Talmon, located eight kilometers from Ramallah, next to the Palestinian villages of Al-Janiva, Al-Ittihad, and Al-Zaitounah, an Israeli settlement in what is called the West Bank. Maoz served as a Staff Sergeant in the Paratroopers Brigade’s Reconnaissance Unit (Sayeret Tzanhanim). He was a MAG gunner, a position reserved for the strongest and most resilient soldiers due to the massive weight and firepower of the weapon.
On October 7th, when the war broke out, Staff Sergeant Maoz Morell was at home. His mother, Varda Morell, says, “Without waiting, he immediately gathered his gear and rushed to his base, from where the unit was flown south straight into the intense fighting in the Re’im area. On February 15, 2024, Maoz’s unit was operating in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. They were positioned inside a structure when terrorists detonated a grenade, injuring 12 soldiers. Maoz, who was in a different part of the building, immediately rushed into the danger zone. Under heavy enemy gunfire, he courageously evacuated the wounded soldiers one by one down to safety.
After ensuring his comrades were safe, he grabbed his MAG weapon, went up to the roof to reinforce his commander, and suppressed the terrorists who were firing from a building just yards away, forcing them back. An IDF tank arrived to collapse the enemy building; tragically, as the structure came down, a piece of heavy debris struck Maoz, causing catastrophic brain injury. He fought for his life in the hospital for several days, surrounded by family, friends, and his brothers-in-arms who came to say goodbye. He succumbed to his wounds on February 19, 2024, at the age of 22.”
“After he fell, our family discovered notebooks Maoz had kept,” Varda continued. “He was a man of strict self-improvement and wrote endless lists for himself. His lists included personal goals: how to be a better and more thoughtful person, tracking his Torah study, reminders to stay off his phone/devices, and even a list of life lessons he wanted to impart to the sixth-grade boys he had mentored as a camp counselor.”
“Hacol Sababa Iti”: “After seven weeks of total silence while fighting in Gaza, the only message his family received was a short, casual voice note assuring you all, “Hacol sababa iti” (“It’s all good with me”). It completely encapsulated his calm, self-reliant, and reassuring nature—never wanting his family to worry.”
Moaz Morell grew up in a large family, the fourth of five boys. His natural gifts included physical abilities and intellectual grit, incredible perseverance.” From a very young age,” his mother said, “Maoz possessed extraordinary physical strength. When he competed in ground combat in kung-fu as a young boy, he could pin an opponent in just seconds. He loved being active—unlike the rest of his self-described “nerdy” family, Maoz loved the physical challenge, though he remained completely modest about it.”
“Overcoming challenges: Maoz faced significant learning and academic differences, but what defined him was his refusal to let anything hold him back. Whether it was putting in endless hours with his father to read his entire Bar Mitzvah parsha (one of the longest in the Torah) or pushing through school, he had a rare drive. If he found something hard, he didn’t give up—he simply asked for help and worked harder. Maoz combined his physical strength with a profound love for the Torah. He studied at the Hesder Yeshiva in Kfar Tapuah. His rabbis and friends describe his determination to understand each line in the Gemara and not being embarrassed to ask his learning partner again and again to explain it until he finally understood. They said he would wake up each day to fight with all his strength to understand the Gemara. Even when entering Gaza, the main items he requested were a watch, a camera, and his pocket Mesilat Yesharim and pocket Chumash so he wouldn’t miss his regular daily learning.”
And so, though I wish that things could have been different for Moaz, his family, friends, and all of Israel, his mother Varda has shown the world what a special young man it has lost. In answer to Israel Seen’s questions, “What do you want people to know and remember about Maoz as a person? What would you want people to learn from Maoz’s life?” her answer is beautiful and profound.
“His Legacy: What to Remember and Learn,” she says. “A Hero for Those Who Struggle: Maoz proves that you do not have to be “perfect” or find things easy to achieve greatness. His journey is an inspiration to any child or individual with learning disabilities. He showed that with humility, determination, and the willingness to ask for help, you can reach the absolute pinnacle of both spiritual and physical excellence.”
“Absolute Selflessness: In his final moments, Maoz did not think of his own safety. He thought of his friends. He is the definition of a true friend and protector, living by the values he wrote down in his notebooks.”
“Living Intentionally: Maoz didn’t waste time. His lists show a young man who was deeply intentional about how he spent his hours—valuing Torah, character development, and real human connection over digital distractions.”
“Through the projects we’ve created, the fund established in his memory to help rabbinical students with learning differences, and the weddings of his friends where they dance in his honor, Maoz’s strength (Maoz) continues to give people life.”
