The Yom Kippur War Veteran Remembers: "The Plane Crashed Directly on Our Tank"

Forty-five years have passed since the Yom Kippur War, yet for Israel Weiss, it's a date that will never fade. Every year on the eve of the holy day, he recalls the harrowing scenes and the miraculous war that defied any natural explanation for its peaceful end. While he ceaselessly gives thanks, he also grieves for his comrades whose lives ended that Yom Kippur.

A War of Confusion

"I was a twenty-year-old back then," he takes us back to those days. "Unlike those who say they were drafted from synagogues, I served regularly as a munitions squad leader in the 403rd artillery battalion and was already in the field."

It's often said the war came as a complete surprise, but Weiss, who experienced it closely, testifies that they were informed as early as Yom Kippur Eve that war was likely. "We were told there's a level C alert," he says. "For those unaware, level C alert in the military is the highest alert. I'll never forget the pre-fast meal we had that night after a grueling day of loading equipment onto tanks. The battalion commander instructed us to lay mattresses near the tanks and to be ready to drive at a moment's notice. He kept saying, 'There will be war tomorrow.'"

Despite wishing to fast for Yom Kippur, Weiss found himself at 7 a.m. ordered by his commander: "Drink, drink, drink, we're heading out."

At that stage, they were near the Refidim airfield, he recalls. "We had aluminum barracks with cardboard exteriors, where some soldiers prayed. I didn’t have the chance to pray that day, as the battalion commander sent me to bring the tank carriers towards the Suez Canal."

"There was immense pressure," he recounts, "because there was no clear understanding of what needed to be done. When I went to find the tank carriers, the association commander was confused as to what I was looking for, as he received different orders. We ultimately set out in radio silence, aiming to reach Tasa and fire on the Egyptians. We felt the confusion all along, especially in the early days of the war. Only later did we recover from the initial shock and achieve victory."

"I Lost My Sense of Fear"

From that moment, Weiss says he witnessed outright miracles in the war. "Firstly, I experienced a personal miracle. On the second day of the war, an Israeli plane crashed into our tank. The wing hit the tank, causing significant destruction. The whole camouflage net burned, and the plane's wheels caught fire. It created a real combat shock, but miraculously, all of us in the tank survived, although sadly, two others were killed later. "I'll never forget the cries of 'Shema Israel' at the moment of the crash," Weiss remembers with a shiver. "Suddenly you realize everything you've experienced before was merely 'as if,' and now you're faced with reality. It's clear that in such a war, the only one who can truly save you is Hashem. We all felt it, both religious soldiers and those unfamiliar with religion. During those war days, we were all observant, with no differences among us, as we fought and prayed together. It was faith that protected and strengthened us. Without it, there was nothing."

After the plane crash, Weiss says he experienced something interesting - "I lost my sense of fear. Suddenly I understood there was no natural victory here, only *siyata d'shmaya* (divine assistance). We're the ones fighting physically, but the one truly managing the war is Hashem. With this understanding, I kept fighting. Later, there was another incident where I found myself in real danger. It happened when I was fleeing Egypt, and when I was four kilometers out, they spotted me and started shooting. I clung to a hill to avoid detection, watching the bullets fly close by. Miraculously, they didn't hit me."

The Path to Redemption

Not all soldiers were fortunate enough to see the war's end. "Sadly, many of my battalion friends fell and didn't return home. That's the main thing that overshadowed the victory, for when you remember those who are no longer with us, you realize how painful war is. It's painful even when you win."

Weiss still carries the heavy feelings and the battle scenes with him. "Initially, right after the war, I began driving lessons, and the instructor wondered why I kept nearly 'tearing off' the handle. I explained that the war made me short-tempered and anxious. Only then did I realize how much it affected me."

How do you feel during these days leading up to Yom Kippur?

"I look at what our people have been through over the years, and one thing is clear to me — the *Mashiach* (Messiah) is already here; redemption is at our doorstep. Since the founding of the State of Israel, we have witnessed countless miracles. We don't always appreciate them, but these miracles are certainly part of the complete redemption."