Myles Rosenblum, a 23-year-old IDF lone soldier from St. Louis, is returning home after two transformative years in the Israel Defense Forces. Serving in Israel’s elite Paratroopers Unit 101, Rosenblum’s journey—from intense combat training to frontline deployments in Gaza, Lebanon, and near Syria—offers a firsthand look into the life of a modern-day IDF lone soldier. On May 19, he’ll speak at the Jewish Community Center, sharing powerful reflections on duty, sacrifice, and hope.
After two intense years of service in the Israel Defense Forces, Myles Rosenblum is coming home—at least briefly. The St. Louis native, who served as a “lone soldier” in Israel’s elite Paratroopers Unit 101, will speak May 19 at the Jewish Community Center about the experiences that changed his life.
IDF Lone Soldier reflects on combat and humanity
“There is nothing I’d rather be doing with my life right now, more than serving the country of Israel,” Rosenblum told the Jewish Light back in October of 2023, just days after Hamas’ surprise attack. At the time, he was newly in training, unsure where his path would lead.
Since then, that path has taken him into Gaza, Lebanon and nearly into Syria. It’s included grueling months of training, combat deployments and unforgettable losses. But for Rosenblum, the moments that mattered most weren’t always in battle.
“It’s the small things that remind you of humanity in the midst of war,” he said.
Rosenblum completed his service earlier this year. Now 23, he plans to return to the U.S. to pursue law school—but not before giving the St. Louis community a chance to hear his story firsthand.
Lone soldier Myles Rosenblum
Before heading to Israel, Rosenblum graduated from Clayton High School and Tulane University. Originally planning to continue straight to law school, he instead felt pulled toward military service—motivated in part by the memory of his grandfather, Doron Berger, who fought in the Six-Day War.
“A lone soldier is someone who can’t fight off this feeling of love,” Rosenblum said. “It’s from such a place of love and hope.”
During the event, Rosenblum plans to share not only his personal motivations but also some of the realities of life as a lone soldier—details that, he said, most people will never see in headlines or viral clips.
“I want people to understand what truly happened in Gaza, what truly happened in Lebanon, what happened in Syria, what is happening right now,” he said.
While Rosenblum is saving much of his full story for the event, he told the Jewish Light last week about one of his most harrowing experiences: helping stop a terrorist stabbing in Tel Aviv while off duty.
In January, while attending a lone soldier reintegration course, Rosenblum was at a café on a first date when a terrorist began stabbing civilians just a few tables away. According to JNS, the attacker was a U.S. permanent resident born in Morocco.
“My instant first response, even if I don’t have my gun, is to always go for my gun,” he said.
Armed with his military-issued weapon, Rosenblum immediately ran toward the attack and helped neutralize the terrorist alongside a small group of civilians. A video of the incident later went viral across Israel.
Despite the attention, Rosenblum is quick to downplay it. “It’s not something that has kept me up for even a single night,” he said. “It’s a side effect of being a “lochem” (warrior). Being a warrior is at any moment in Israel you can be called upon to protect and serve.”
After his speaking engagements in St. Louis and another in New Orleans, Rosenblum plans to return to Israel to finish preparing for law school. He is also working on an oral history project, interviewing fellow lone soldiers who served in combat.
“The stories are incredible,” he said. “Men and women who have seen unimaginable things, both miracles and horrors.”
As for his upcoming talk in St. Louis, Rosenblum hopes it will be a way to humanize the soldiers behind the headlines—and to share a side of Israel that too often goes unseen.
“I really want to shed some light on the important and good work that is happening,” he said.
