Aaron Bours – From Great Neck to Gaza: Tech Leader, Wounded Warrior, Advocate Artwork

The Lone Soldier Podcast

What motivates someone to move halfway across the world to enlist in the IDF? Among the ranks of the Israeli Defense Forces are several thousand soldiers known as "Lone Soldiers," meaning they have no family in Israel supporting them. Many of these soldiers move to Israel from abroad, leaving their friends and family behind them to pursue their dream of IDF service. Between 2010 and 2013, I served as a lone soldier in a combat unit of the Israeli Defense Forces. In this podcast series, I interview former lone soldiers to learn about their motivations for enlisting, their experiences in the IDF, and how those experiences have shaped the rest of their lives.

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The Lone Soldier Podcast

Aaron Bours – From Great Neck to Gaza: Tech Leader, Wounded Warrior, Advocate

August 18, 2025 • Corey Feldman • Season 1 • Episode 10

Aaron Bours grew up in Great Neck, New York, and at 19 moved to Israel through the Mahal program to enlist in the IDF. He served as a lone soldier in the Givati Brigade, navigating the challenges of military service while learning Hebrew, building roots, and connecting with his fellow soldiers and with Israel. After his service, Aaron built a career in tech, working at Checkpoint and Google before becoming Chief Marketing Officer and a founding team member at Hyro, a digital health AI company.

On October 7th, while attending a healthcare conference in Las Vegas, Aaron’s life changed dramatically. Called up for reserve duty, he scrambled to return to Israel, trained with his unit, and entered Gaza as part of the first wave of the ground operation. A few weeks into his combat deployment, Aaron was severely wounded while attempting to rescue his fallen officer, during a firefight near an UNRWA school in Beit Hanoun. Shot multiple times, he survived thanks to the quick action of his unit and 669, and was airlifted to Sheba Medical Center, where he spent five months undergoing surgeries and rehabilitation.

Aaron recounts his journey from suburban New York to the battlefields of Gaza, sharing candid stories of language barriers, training mishaps, and the surreal transition into war. We discussed the sense of identity forged through IDF service, the values that carried him into entrepreneurship, and how military grit translates into startup perseverance. Aaron opened up about the day he was shot, the loss of his commander Omri David z"l, and the long road of recovery — physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Beyond the battlefield, Aaron has become a powerful advocate for Israel. He has spoken on campuses across the U.S., countering misinformation with firsthand experience, and has been featured in outlets including The New York Post, Reuters, ABC News, and The Daily Wire. His story is one of resilience, sacrifice, and purpose — bridging his roles as a soldier, entrepreneur, and advocate.