Israeli Grandfather Recounts the Agony of Losing Two Grandsons in War
Colonel (Res.) Avri Navon lost two grandsons, Sgt. First Class Itay Vogel and Sgt. First Class Elkanah Navon, in combat just 40 days apart during the ongoing war.
The ongoing war in the region has introduced a profound and painful dimension to grief in Israel, penetrating deep into family structures. In a recent episode of the podcast "Man Talking," Colonel (Res.) Avri Navon shared his experience with a rarely discussed reality: that of a grieving grandfather.
Navon lost two of his beloved grandsons, Sgt. First Class Itay Vogel and Sgt. First Class Elkanah Navon, who fell in combat just 40 days apart while he was serving in IDF reserves at the Central Command.
A Double Family Tragedy
Both Itay and Elkanah were the eldest grandchildren of a normative family, enlisting in the IDF with a deep sense of mission. Itay served as a dedicated tank commander in the Armored Corps, while Elkanah spent months fighting in the Gaza Strip as a machine-gunner with the 931st Battalion of the Nahal Brigade and later as a squad leader in the Bislamach Brigade.
Elkanah was killed on a Saturday in Jenin. Because of Navon's sensitive role at the Central Command, where he regularly processes casualty notifications, officers narrowly prevented him from discovering his own grandson's name in the computer systems, ensuring the family was notified with utmost sensitivity.
Just 40 days later, the second blow struck on the eve of Yom Kippur. After returning home from afternoon prayers, Navon found IDF officers waiting at his door. His second grandson, Sgt. First Class Itay Vogel, had been killed in combat in Rafah when a missile struck his tank.
Navigating Unimaginable Grief
Faced with back-to-back tragedies just hours before the holiest day of the year, Navon and his wife ultimately chose to stay with their grieving daughter in the community of Yakir while supporting the rest of their extended family.
"Give my wife and me longevity so we can be with our children as much as possible... I have seven grieving grandchildren and four who are not. It is surreal, simply surreal," Navon reflected at the end of the interview.
Despite the immense sorrow, the family chose to press forward with life, holding a scheduled wedding just weeks after Itay's death and gathering to celebrate amid their tears. Navon continues to volunteer, serve in the reserves, and support other bereaved families.
