Aviv Troy, 24-25, is a Canadian from Montreal who moved to Israel with his family around 2007. Troy enlisted in the Israeli military in 2020
Troy is a son of Gil Troy, a historian, author, columnist and a “distinguished scholar” at McGill University. The Jewish News Syndicate published an article about Gil in April 2024, writing, “Parents should instill as much Jewish identity, values and history in their children as possible with an understanding ‘that an attack on Israel is an attack on them,’ Troy said. ‘We’re going to raise a generation of Zionist Jews with fluency and identity,’ he said. ‘New Jews with the willingness to defend themselves when necessary but building, rebuilding and dreaming always, which is what Zionism has always been about.’”
Gil has written articles about all of his children, including one focused on Aviv and published in March 2020 in the Jerusalem Post titled, “To my son, enlisting as a coronavirus-clouded soldier.” Gil writes, “Since graduating from high school in June, 2018, in your adventure with Hemdat Yehuda, that extraordinary ‘mechina,’ pre-military academy, you sharpened your mind, deepened your piety, refined your patriotism, and expanded your soul to take root, and soar.”
He adds, “When you were kids, we often celebrated your birthdays by giving soldiers care packages. You gawked at these soldiers as if they were larger than life. All four of my miracles, our kids, look larger than life to me. As you go to serve your nation, your people, and the civilized world, so calmly, gracefully, naturally, despite these turbulent times, you loom ever larger.”
Gil also wrote about Aviv in a December 2024 article, where he notes that Aviv has been an active participant in the Israeli military post-Oct. 7, 2023. Gil writes, “The third speaker, my son Aviv Troy, still doing revolving-door reserve duty, acknowledged that the war in America [referring to alleged antisemitism on university campuses in the United States] ‘may have been a different struggle, but the struggle was just as real there,’ requiring ‘different types of heroes and different types of courage.’ But he articulated one secret to the wave of Israeli heroism: ‘I was lucky enough to never feel alone from the ninth of October, the day that I landed back in Israel.’ He added: ‘I can’t imagine what it must have felt like to be completely alone on a campus and not quite sure who has your back.’
Aviv described rushing home to Israel from Sri Lanka, having finished his military service two months earlier. Changing planes in Dubai, waiting at the luggage carousel, he checked his messages. One voice mail reported that six good friends had died fighting in Kfar Aza alone. Two others, who had been at the Supernova music festival, were missing.
After landing, he scrambled to base, despairing with everyone else. But ‘once I got my weapon, once I got my vest back, there was something that made me say “okay, we got this….” I knew what I was doing, and I didn’t feel alone. I felt like I had my unit’s support and my country’s support, and I found that very inspiring.’”
Aviv has three siblings that have also served in the Israeli military and are included in this database: Dina Troy, Lia Troy, Yoni Troy. One of Aviv’s grandfathers is the now-deceased billionaire real estate investor, Marcel Adams.
