Shai Ish-Shalom, Entebbe Veteran, 68

Shai Ish-Shalom unexpectedly passed away at age 68, on Tuesday (Dec. 3, 1955 - Sept. 5, 2023). A veteran of the IDF's elite Sayeret Matkal unit, as a young soldier Shai took part in the 1976 Entebbe rescue mission. From 1995 to 2004, Shai took part in security missions around the globe. He retired from the army with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the IDF reserves.

A resident of Kibbutz Hanita, a Kibbutz his father helped found, Shai was the father to two sons and a grandfather to three grandchildren.

Shai worked as a combat instructor at Caliber-3 in Gush Etzion where he helped train thousands of soldiers and security personnel, including members of the JewishPress.com staff.

In 2012, JewishPress.com interviewed Shai where he told us about his amazing life.