Capt. Denis Krokhamlov Veksler, z”l

Captain (Res.) Denis Krokhamlov Veksler, the son of Alexandra and Yevgeny and brother to Marina and Alexandrina, was born in Ukraine. He completed high school in his homeland and began studying financial management at university. At the end of his third year, at the age of 20, Denis decided to come to Israel as part of the “Masa Nitzana – Desert Extreme Sports” program, which lasted for ten months, offering desert activities and personal exploration. At the airport, Denis told his mother, “I have dreamed about this my whole life.”

Denis arrived in Israel, settling in the communal village of Nitzana. As part of the program, he studied Hebrew in an ulpan, deepened his knowledge of Jewish and Israeli heritage, specialized in various sports, and met young Israelis. That year, he decided to move to Israel and join the IDF.

Denis enlisted in the IDF’s Combat Engineering Corps. After proving himself as an outstanding soldier, he was assigned to the elite Yahalom Unit. He became a respected and determined fighter who united his team. Denis attended officers' course, and upon completion, returned to his unit. For six years, Denis served in Yahalom as a commander and officer – a brave, dedicated, and caring individual who loved his soldiers deeply, taught everyone the importance of thoroughness, commitment to goals and missions, and served as a role model, a symbol of Zionism and heroism. He had the unit’s emblem tattooed on his chest.

Denis was a man of giving and love, who spoke to everyone as an equal. In everything he did, Denis was a model of excellence and personal example. He was discharged from the IDF but insisted on continuing to serve in the reserves, even after being injured in an accident. At the same time, he returned to Nitzana – this time to lead young people who, like him, had arrived in Israel – inspiring them to enlist for meaningful military service. He developed the “Desert Shield” program, trained hundreds of young people, and served as the security chief of the Nitzana community. A lover of life, nature, and celebrations, he did everything wholeheartedly. Before he fell, he fulfilled his dream and was accepted to study aerospace engineering at the Technion.

On October 7, 2023, Simchat Torah 5784, Hamas launched a murderous surprise attack on Israel. Under the cover of barrages of thousands of rockets, thousands of armed terrorists crossed the border into Israel, infiltrating cities and taking control of communities, outposts, and bases. The terrorists murdered around eight hundred civilians and abducted hundreds of Israelis to the Gaza Strip. Hundreds of security personnel fell in the battles. Following the attack, Israel entered a state of war. When the attack began, Denis reported for duty. He fought for many months, participating in numerous complex operations, and demonstrated courage, daring, and selflessness.

On January 8, 2024, Denis fell in battle in central Gaza. He was 32 years old. Denis was laid to rest in the civilian cemetery at Kibbutz Shoval, shortly before he was to begin his studies at the Technion.

May his memory be blessed.