Major Ro'i Klein who was killed when he heroically jumped on a Hezbollah grenade to save his troops, will be awarded the IDF Medal of Valor posthumously on the 02 September.
IDF Major Ro'i Klein, volunteered to lead his Golan Brigade Battalion 51 into battle and was killed in the line of duty 26 July, 2006
While fighting for control of the hostile village of Bint Jbeil in Southern Lebanon, Major Klein and his men were ambushed by Islamic Hezbollah Terrorists. Major Klein led a group of Soldiers and attempted to attack the Islamic Terrorists from behind but were obstructed by a wall. Major Klein then began treating one of the Soldiers, at which point an Islamic Hezbollah Terrorist Thug, hurled a grenade at the group. IDF Soldiers reported that Major Klein jumped on the grenade, his body absorbing much of the explosion, saving the IDF Soldiers around him. Though mortally wounded, Major Klein attempted to communicate with his Superiors by radio.
Major Klein is actually credited for saving his men twice that day. The first time, he witnessed a grenade being thrown and was able to yell and warn his men, the second time, he sacrificed himself to save his men.
The father of two Son's and resident of the hilltop community of Harisha, Major Klein was an acknowledged Torah scholar, an accomplished musician and superb commander during time of battle. He was buried on what would have been his 31st Birthday in Eli, the Samaria community where he grew up.
The IDF Medal of Valor has been rarely awarded and only 40 times in the history of the State of Israel and the award for unselfish bravery by Major Klein will be the first time in 34 years since the medal was last awarded. The previous recipient was Brigadier General Avigdor Kahalani, who commanded the Armored Battalion 77 during the 1973 Yom Kippur War.
