Sgt. Binyamin Airley, 21: Had a ‘love affair’ with the Land of Israel
Killed fighting Hamas terrorists in the northern Gaza Strip on November 18
Sgt. Binyamin Meir Airley, 21, of the Paratroopers Brigade’s 101st Battalion, was killed fighting Hamas terrorists in the northern Gaza Strip on November 18, 2023.
He was killed alongside several other soldiers, including Maj. Jamal Abbas and Staff Sgt. Shachar Fridman.
He was survived by his parents, Jennifer and Robert, and siblings Sarah, Yehuda, Akiva, Yakov and Chana. He was laid to rest in the Mount Herzl military cemetery on November 19.
Airley was born in New York and moved to Ramat Beit Shemesh with his family in 2006.
His mother, Jennifer Averbuch Airley, described him as “always sporty and social” growing up, with a keen interest in Israeli history and Jewish law, along with hiking, breakdancing and long-distance running.
“He had a deep love affair with Israel’s natural beauty, especially the natural springs,” she wrote on the website of “Binyamin’s BBQ Brigade,” a volunteer group supporting IDF soldiers that was founded in her son’s name.
“His life mission was to protect the Land [of Israel] and keep it safe and thriving so all Jews could live anywhere in Israel peacefully,” she wrote. “Binyamin lived and died with that mission.”
Later, Jennifer wrote, “When people ask how I’m holding up I pretty much have one answer: Complete and broken all at once. A full heart of pride, love, commitment, fortitude, strength and gratitude,” she said. “There’s also the heart that’s shattered. The brokenness. The loss. The longing. The oceans of tears. My boy… My rock… It’s painful.”
Videos shared on social media showed dozens of members of the Ramat Beit Shemesh community lining the streets in a flag escort to support and pay their respects to the Airley family on their way to the funeral.
Our dear sweet nephew Binyamin Airley, 21yrs old, was killed in battle in Gaza.
It’s surreal. Like a nightmare we are praying we’ll wake up from at any moment. Klal Israel – Thank you for showing up.
Am Israel Chai ???????? pic.twitter.com/vM0xkROKwc
— Shannon Nuszen (@jackNshannon) November 22, 2023
At the funeral, his father Rob eulogized him: “Binyamin personified modesty. He wouldn’t have liked all the attention; he didn’t want his name mentioned. He was loved and respected by everyone who met him. A leader. His smile -– shines up the room. He hated smartphones — gave it up for a Nokia.”
“He was a ‘gibor‘ [hero]. He always wanted to be at the front. Wouldn’t have it any other way,” he added.
Speaking to TalkTV, Rob said that Binyamin was “extremely happy to fight and protect, there was no question that he wasn’t going to go in [to Gaza]… He died how he lived, he was always the first one in. He was the one that would motivate all the other soldiers in his unit, and he was the one who would push them.”
“He had a really magnetic personality and people were really attracted to him, and he was able to have friends from all different sectors of a very wide Israeli society, religious people and non-religious, Arabs,” Rob continued. “He was an incredible son, who gave a lot of honor to his parents, he was very humble, he never spoke negatively about anybody. He really inspired a lot of people.”
