In an interview with Arutz Sheva, Lehi fighter Ezra Yachin describes his feelings over his recent promotion in military rank at the age of 90.
“The rank is not what’s important, rather, the reason for it is. I received the rank for my lectures throughout the country in which I tell the people of Israel about the miracles and wonders and the heroism and wars that God helped us do in my days, as in those days,” he said, referencing the Hanukkah story. “Thanks to this, we established the State and we are marching forward in the path of redemption.”
Yachin gives an example of the abundance of lectures filling up his schedule. "Every day, one, two or three lectures," he says. "The IDF discovered that since the Yom Kippur War I gave 9,000 lectures in the army, and it is possible to double the number if you include the lectures to police, Border Police, security forces, in communities, in pre-army academies, yeshivot and ulpanot. I do not want to rest. God gives me the ability to continue to run and tell."
He hopes to be continuing in his public relations activities in the next five years: "The forces from heaven and my desire to act for the people of Israel are very strong," he explains.
Yachin dismisses reports of a delay in his promotion due to his right-wing positions and his opposition to the service of women. According to him, all this is idle talk not worthy of being addressed, and actions are the determining factor.
"I feel the miracles in all my veins and all my bones," he says, referring to his feelings during Hanukkah. "I have experienced so many miracles, I and the people of Israel. I have walked in the valley of the shadow of death for so many years, and today as well I live in a place where there is a lot of hostility towards the people of Israel, I get stones thrown at the car and I go everywhere with the vehicle and I am alive. One time two shells smashed my head and the medical report said that not only a lot of blood spilled out of my head, but also a constant flow of brain and spinal cord fluid, and that during the operation, which lasted a whole day, they removed the parts that were torn from my brain, and I’m alive. So whoever does not believe in the story of David and Goliath should come and see me.”
"We fought against the English Goliath and wiped out his presence in the country. A small stone killed him, and I remained alive with two shells - that means something," Yachin says, recalling the line from the Lehi anthem: "We were all recruited to the ranks for life, only to be released in death."
“I still haven't been released from the ranks," he says.