Daniel Peretz was a Gen-Zionist hero. Daniel was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. After his bar mitzvah, his family realized the millennia-old dream of returning to Israel. Five years later, like most Israeli boys fresh out of high school, he enlisted in the IDF. But Daniel had a problem: an injury from water skiing, which barred him from combat service. He could have taken the out and settled for a desk job (no shame in that). But he refused to take “no” for an answer and fought the army bureaucracy to let him serve in the Armored Corps. After surgery and nine months of physical therapy and recovery, he won his first battle. Daniel graduated with honors from a tank commanders course, and then again from Officers’ School. On October 7, 2023, Daniel was stationed at Nahal Oz. When Hamas’ terrorist army invaded, hunting for innocent people to mutilate and kidnap, 22-year-old Daniel was the first line of defense. He and his comrades fought heroically, but the barbarian horde was too numerous. They were four young men in the tank. His comrade Tomer Leibovitz fell in battle. Matan Angrest was abducted, tortured in captivity, and released only yesterday after two years in Hamas’ tunnels. Itay Chen was killed and his body snatched into Gaza, where it is still trapped. And Daniel was injured and abducted into the Gaza Strip, perhaps already dead. For 163 days, his family knew nothing about his fate until the IDF pronounced him a fallen soldier. Last night, after holding onto his body for a ransom for two years, the Hamas terrorist army finally released his remains for burial. Every young Jewish boy in the world should know the name Daniel Peretz. Jewish schools should name awards for excellence in his honor. Because Daniel refused to take the easy way out. He didn’t put himself first. He put himself out front and fought valiantly to defend innocents from slaughter. If his native South Africa were not waging legal warfare in defense of the people who killed him, it too would honor one of its most courageous sons. Rest in peace, young hero. A global generation of young Jews, forged by the fire of October 7, will salute you as a modern Maccabee of our biblical times.