Sruly Cole is a Canadian who graduated from Yeshivat Or Chaim, one of the Bnei Akiva private Jewish high schools in Toronto, in 2021. Cole was included in a June 2024 post from the “Smiling Soldiers” Instagram account, which states that it is “trying to show the world the real, happy, fun and human side of the IDF.” He was pictured in military uniform holding a gun.
The post, which features several lone soldiers, writes: “IDF Lone Soldiers hail from diverse corners of the globe, united in their mission to defend Israel, their ancestral homeland. Israel transcends mere geographical boundaries established in the 20th century; it embodies the collective dreams and aspirations of Jews dispersed across the world for generations. As the Jewish diaspora reconnected with their historic land in the 20th century, a profound sense of duty emerged, inspiring countless heroes like those depicted in the images above, committed to protecting and nurturing their cherished and eternal homeland.”
