Chaim Malespin, a U.S.-born sergeant in the Israel Defense Forces’ elite Yahalom commando unit, shared insights into his extensive combat experience - which included 800+ consecutive days operating in the terror tunnels in Gaza and Lebanon - and humanitarian efforts in a recent interview with commentator Alan Skorski.

Malespin, who immigrated to Israel with his family as a teenager in 1999, has served in the IDF’s Combat Engineering Corps, specializing in explosives handling, countering improvised explosive devices and destroying terror tunnels.

The Yahalom unit, known as “diamond” in Hebrew, focuses on high-risk engineering operations in combat zones.

Malespin has been deployed for hundreds of consecutive days during Israel’s ongoing Swords of Iron war against Hamas, leading missions across Gaza, northern Israel and southern Lebanon. He previously saw action in the 2006 Lebanon War, Operation Cast Lead and Operation Protective Edge.

His decorations include the Iron Swords War Service Ribbon, Operation Protective Edge Ribbon and Operation Cast Lead Ribbon.

When not on active duty, Malespin directs operations at the Aliyah Return Center (ARC), a humanitarian organization he co-founded in 2013 in Israel’s Galilee region along the Jordan River.

The ARC assists Jewish immigrants, or olim, with integration into Israeli society through temporary housing, Hebrew classes, job training, community activities and basic aid such as food and clothing distribution.

Under Malespin’s leadership, the center transformed a former hotel into a campus for new immigrants and international volunteers after a multimillion-dollar renovation project in partnership with the Jewish Agency.

The organization also hosts volunteers from abroad who participate in service projects in the Galilee and train as “ambassadors for Israel” upon returning home, fostering ties between Israel and supportive global communities.

Malespin hosts “The Real Israel” on YouTube and an “Iron Swords” daily podcast, providing updates and perspectives on Israel.

The interview highlighted Malespin’s dual roles as a frontline soldier defending Israel and a humanitarian leader supporting Jewish immigration and absorption.

-VIN News

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