After Binyamin Elmkayes fell in battle on November 8th, his bereaved parents decided to honor their son’s sacrifice by making aliyah from France, in a move facilitated by the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ), the Jewish Agency for Israel and the Aliyah and Integration Ministry.
The two parents of Binyamin arrived earlier this week and have chosen to set up their new lives in Jerusalem – a city beloved by their fallen son “as a way to ensure that the light of our son’s life will continue to shine despite his death.”
The young Binyamin moved to Israel at 15 years old and served his country in the IDF when he became an adult. After October 7, the now-29-year-old immediately reported for reserve duty as a combat soldier in the Engineering Corps. Less than a month later, he was killed while operating in the Gaza Strip.
Binyamin left behind his fiance, five older siblings, and his parents, Marlene and Lucien.
While he moved far from his family, his mother said, “he was always very close with me and the whole family.”
“He was well known within his army unit as someone who truly loved his land and was always there to listen to others and help wherever possible,” Marlene recalled.
Binyamin was set to be married in November, and his parents flew to Israel to attend the ceremony. While they arrived in anticipation of their son’s wedding, they instead were present for his funeral.
“Just before we heard the news, I had the worst feeling that something terrible had happened. At 8:00 that evening, the IDF representatives came to my sister’s home in Netanya. I heard her scream, and I immediately knew,” his mother said.
After sitting shiva for their fallen son, a Jewish practice of mourning that lasted for seven days, the family returned to France with the thought of making aliyah.
“It was Binyamin’s dream that we would all live together here in Israel, so we knew that the right thing to do was to make that dream a reality as soon as possible. We know that living in Israel will ensure that his memory stays with us in a very real way,” said Lucien.
The organizations supporting the move
IFCJ President Yael Eckstein said, “This is a bittersweet moment. We know that this is a family whose personal dreams of moving to Israel are finally coming true…yet they are doing so in such a painful manner. Especially now, we realize how every Jew who comes home to Israel during these difficult times is proclaiming the most potent message that the Jewish people are alive and will not be defeated. This family making aliyah is a fitting and beautiful way to salute and honor Binyamin’s legacy and sacrifice in defense of our homeland. The Fellowship wishes the Elmkayes and all of these new olim a big mazal tov. We will always continue to assist and support those who wish to return home.”
Jewish Agency Chair Doron Almog commented, “Binyamin Elmkayes’s decision to join and serve in the IDF in defense of the people and state of Israel is an inspiring reflection of the remarkable bravery of young Jews from all over the world in support of our land and the Jewish nation. Through his heroic actions, his fate will be forever intertwined with the fate of our nation in accepting the ultimate responsibility on his shoulders- the responsibility of the physical defense of the state of Israel. Binyamin’s legacy and dedication to those ideals should always be a source of incredible pride to his family and continue to inspire others in what it means to care so deeply for the Jewish people.”
Minister of Aliyah and Integration, Ofir Sofer, said, “The parents of Binyamin, who made Aliyah alone to enlist and defend the homeland and fell in battle, continue their heroic son’s path. A few months ago, I met Marlene and Lucien at an Aliyah fair in Paris and was moved to tears when they told me they were making Aliyah, and I am glad it happened today. As a ministry, we will work to assist them in every way necessary to ensure they integrate in the best possible manner.”
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