Tobin Kaiman, 34-35, is a Canadian from Ottawa. A front page story in a March 2014 issue of the Ottawa Jewish Bulletin (OJB) with the headline “Lone soldier put aside fear of heights to become paratrooper” profiles Kaiman, and describes how he joined the Israeli military.
The paper states: “Growing up in a house where even toy guns were not welcomed, Kaiman said it was still an obvious decision for him to enlist in a combat role as he became more aware of the political and military situation in the region. ‘There’s [the option of “other” roles] but, you know what, combat’s the real stuff,’ he said. ‘That’s where all the heroes from the Israeli army came from. When anyone thinks of the Israeli army, everyone thinks of combat: a soldier with a gun in olive green camouflage. And that’s what I wanted to be.’”
Kaiman completed two years of university at Carleton University in economics, and then decided to join the Israeli military. OJB noted that he served from December 2011 to December 2013 as a paratrooper.
The paper added: “Kaiman said he had ‘mixed emotions’ about returning to Ottawa after his service in order to complete his studies. Before going to Israel, he had completed two years at Carleton University and is now back as a third year economics student. Kaiman said he considered staying in Israel to complete his studies, but that the credits he had earned at Carleton would not count toward his degree if he transferred, so essentially he would have had to start his degree over. ‘If I could’ve, I probably would’ve done it there,’ he said of his decision. ‘It was easier to come back, finish my degree, and go from there.’”
The article then describes how Kaiman has continued to help the Israeli military by raising funds for soldiers: “It is that sense of connection that keeps him dedicated to Israel and to each lone solider serving in the IDF, he said. ‘We don’t have to join, we want to join. We also have to remember that Israel is not the home of the Israelis; it’s the home of the Jews … that’s my family. The entire nation is my family.’” The paper quotes Kaiman’s mother, Janet Kaiman, who expressed concern for his safety but also approval of his decision: “She added that she and the family could not be more proud of Kaiman for devoting himself to Israel, which ultimately strengthened the whole family’s connection to the Jewish homeland.”
Kaiman is mentioned in another OJB article from later that year as being in attendance for an Ottawa ceremony for Israeli soldiers that had been killed. The paper notes that a speaker asked mothers in the crowd with children that have served in the Israeli military to stand up, and at least nine of them did.
A June 2020 post from a website created for Ottawa Jewish Community School students stated that Kaiman was invited to speak about his military service before a classroom of grade four students: “The Grade 4 classes had a special guest visit our virtual class for Yom Hazikaron. Tobin Kaiman talked of his firsthand experiences as a former lone soldier in the I.D.F. The students were engaged throughout the talk and asked meaningful questions.” The post notes that the teacher had previously had Kaiman as a student in the first and second grades.
A federal Canadian government registry lists a Tobin Kaiman as an auditor for the Canada Border Services Agency.
