As Israel mourns a Haredi teenager who fell to his death during an anti-draft protest, it must remember those who fall not by chance but by choice—the men and women who defend their people with courage, not curiosity.

Today in Jerusalem, a fifteen-year-old Haredi boy lost his life after falling from a construction site above a mass protest against the government’s proposed draft law. Tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox men and boys filled the streets, chanting “Better death than the army,” railing against the demand that they, too, share in Israel’s defense. Amid the shouting, the banners, and the chaos, a boy climbed where he should not have, just to watch. He was curious—an onlooker, not a fighter, not a participant in any struggle. And in a moment’s misstep, he was gone.

His death is heartbreaking and senseless. A young life, cut short by curiosity and confusion. Yet that tragic loss must not be confused with the deaths of those who fall in service to Israel. The soldiers who fall do not fall by chance—they fall by choice. Not because they seek danger, but because they accept their duty. Not because they are forced, but because they understand that the security of this nation depends on those willing to stand guard while others sleep, and study.

Since the Hamas onslaught of October 7, 2023, more than 1,150 Israeli soldiers and security personnel have been killed. Nearly half were under twenty-one. They were conscripted, yes—but not coerced. In a country where anyone determined to avoid service can find a way to do so, those who serve make a moral choice. They choose duty over comfort, responsibility over avoidance, and courage over curiosity. They fall not from recklessness, but from resolve.

Even within the Haredi community, there are those who make that same choice. Around 3,000 ultra-Orthodox men serve in the IDF today, and more than 20,000 have completed their service. That’s far from a meaningful proportion of the Haredi population, but it is a meaning step in the right direction. They face ridicule in their own neighborhoods, yet stand in uniform to defend the state that shelters them. They serve in the Netzah Yehuda Battalion of the Kfir Brigade, the Tomer Company in Givati, and the Hetz Company in the Paratroopers. A new Hasmonean Brigade is forming to expand those opportunities further. These young men combine faith with service, prayer with protection. They are proof that holiness and heroism can coexist.

There is immense value in Torah study. It is the spiritual heartbeat of the Jewish people, a source of endurance through centuries of exile and persecution. The study of Torah deserves reverence and protection. But it cannot replace the need for soldiers—men and women willing, ready, and trained to defend, and if need be, to die for their country and their people. Prayer guards the soul, but soldiers guard the nation. Without them, even the holiest prayers would be silenced.

The boy who fell today was innocent, curious, and unprepared for danger. The soldiers who fall in Gaza, in Judea and Samaria, and along Israel’s borders are disciplined, brave, and fully aware of the stakes. One fell by accident; the others fall by duty. One sought to see; the others stood to shield. His fall was senseless; theirs are meaningful. His death warns us of fragility; theirs remind us of purpose.

Israel’s challenge is to honor both faith and service, without letting one excuse the absence of the other. Torah is sacred, but so is defense. A nation that values life must be defended by those willing to risk theirs. And a people that prays for peace must also prepare to protect it.

May the Haredi boy who fell today rest in peace. And may the soldiers who have fallen in battle rest in honor. He fell by curiosity; they fall by courage. He was watching; they were doing. Without the soldiers serving, the boys would not be safe to study. It is because of those who bridge the gap and choose to serve—Israel lives and has the luxury to learn the eternal lessons of Torah.

Despite our unending losses as a nation, that combination will never fail, or fall.