Michael Levin (born February 17, 1984 in Holland, Pennsylvania - died August 1, 2006 in Ayta ash-Shab, Lebanon) was an Israeli soldier who emigrated from the United States and joined the Paratroopers Brigade of the Israel Defense Forces. Following his death in the Battle of Ayta ash-Shab during the 2006 Lebanon War, he became known in some circles in Israel and among American Jews as an Israeli national hero, and a memorial was erected in his honor at Ammunition Hill in Jerusalem. Others regard his death as a pointless sacrifice, sending young Jews to their deaths for no good reason.
Levin was born to Mark and Harriet Levin. He grew up in Holland, Pennsylvania with his sisters Elisa and Dara. Levin was raised in a Jewish home, attending Camp Ramah, Gratz College, USY High, and Nativ in addition to attending High School in Israel.
As a boy, Levin's family claims that he showed an intense devotion to Israel and Judaism, and described him as "a Zionist to the core". After a number of visits to Israel, Levin decided to immigrate to Israel right after finishing High School, where he joined the Israel Defense Forces, serving in an elite paratrooper unit, #890. He enlisted as a lone soldier, which made him eligible for government funding for an apartment in Jerusalem while on leave, which he shared with two roommates, who were also lone soldiers. Levin participated in raids in the Palestinian territories in which a number of Palestinian militant leaders were captured or killed. While deployed in the territories, he was noted for his compassion towards Palestinian civilians.
When the Second Lebanon War broke out, he was on leave, visiting his family in America, but immediately returned to Israel. His commanders decided not to send him to Lebanon, but he managed to persuade them to change their minds.
Levin took part in the first round of fighting in the Lebanese town of Ayta ash-Sha’b during the Second Lebanon War. His friend Omer Yaniv, from the same paratrooper unit, gave a graphic description of the chaotic circumstances surrounding Levin’s death. The 890th Paratrooper battalion came under heavy small arms and RPG fire as they advanced into the town. The soldiers could not identify the source of the fire. The battalion’s units got separated when running for cover. Levin’s platoon hid in the back room and toilet of an empty store. A Hezbollah fighter managed to get close and fire straight into the small room, hitting Levin in the head. He died soon afterwards. Levin was one of three Israeli soldiers killed in Ayta ash-Sha'b that day. Another 25 soldiers were wounded. For several hours, the Israeli soldiers fought fiercely and killed some 15 Hezbollah fighters. The wounded were treated at the spot under heavy fire, as an evacuation was deemed almost impossible. After several hours reinforcements finally reached the building and managed to extract the casualties.[1][2] One of Michael's comrades, medic Shlomi Singer, carried his body most of the way back to Israel until he was found by IDF rescue vehicles.
A local commander of Hezbollah after the war guided al-Jazeera though Ayta ash-Sha’b and showed them the store where the paratroopers where holed up, and where Michael Levin was killed.[3]
In accordance with his wishes, Levin was buried with full military honors on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem. Thousands of Israelis from all over the country attended Levin's funeral, and his story was shown on Israeli television. Levin's grave bears the inscription "An American Oleh whose love of G-d and Israel is eternal", and has become a popular site for tourists, as he is regarded as a hero by many in Israel and Jewish communities in the United States.[4] A memorial for Levin was erected at Ammunition Hill in Jerusalem, the site of a major battle during the Six-Day War.[5]