He left Brazil to be a lone soldier in Israel, then lost both parents to COVID
Thiago Benzecry, left, with his late parents and two brothers. (Courtesy of Benzecry/ via JTA) Thiago Benzecry is now in the Israeli navy. (Courtesy of Benzecry/ via JTA) JTA — When Thiago Benzecry left his home in Brazil’s Amazon region to join the Israeli navy, he knew he was putting significant distance between himself and his family, in more ways than one. He did not know it would be the last time he would see his parents in person. Benzecry landed at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport in July 2019 with plans to study Hebrew and then volunteer in the Israel Defense Forces. It was a path he...