In memory of Major Roey Chapell z"l
Biography
Roey is the son of Orit Zuk and Moshe Chapel, brother of Shahar and Ohad, spouse of Yuval.
He was born in Haifa and raised and educated in Zichron Yaakov. At the age of 16, Roey was admitted to the prestigious pre-military boarding school at Ha’Reali High School in Haifa, where he finished his studies.
Throughout his life, Roey stood out as a humble, conscientious, honest, responsible, and joyful young man, who loved to live and was always willing to give more of himself to others and to his country.
Roey deeply loved the Land of Israel and its people. He enjoyed the simple pleasures of this land: his family, nature, hiking and navigating, biking and jeep trips, scuba diving, his many friends, coffee, meat, and Arak.
As a child, Roey collected fossils and studied the topography of every path he walked. He was a member of the Sayarut club, where he developed his deep love for Israel’s different travel and hiking paths and became an expert navigator, a critical skill that helped him during his days in the pre-military school and later during his service in the IDF. Roey used the few months after graduating from high school and before his enlistment in the army to track the Israel Path. As he saw it, there was no point in going on a “big trip” abroad without first walking the Israel Path in its entirety.
Roey was an educator. He loved and understood people. He could identify the strengths of every person he met and enjoyed helping them grow.
Roey’s military career began when he enlisted in the Nahal Brigade in November 2016 and completed his training in the Nahal Brigade Reconnaissance Unit, Orev. Roey suffered a serious shoulder injury at the beginning of his training but refused to let injury stop him; he fought against all odds to remain in combat duty.
Still in training, Roey continued to Squad-Commanders’ Course and returned to the post of Advanced-Squad Commander of the November 2017 recruits.
In February 2019, Roey completed the Officers’ Course for Military Infantry Corps. His first assignment as an officer was as Platoon Commander of the August 2017 platoon of the Orev unit. It is rare that a young officer is assigned to an advanced platoon; this assignment was a testament to Roey’s abilities and character. Roey was promoted to the position of Company Commander’s Assistant within the Orev unit in August 2020, after the 2017 platoon soldiers ended their mandatory service.
Roey became a company commander so he can dedicate himself to educating, training, and influencing young recruits.
Roey completed the Company-Commander Course in July 2021. His first company was a group of fresh recruits of the 931 Regiment of the Nahal Brigade; he remained with them throughout their training. Roey then became the Commander of an infantry corps company of the 931 Regiment, leading it during the 2022 Operation Breaking Dawn in the Gaza Envelope.
In October 2022, Roey returned as a Company Commander to Orev – the unit where he started his military training and where he grew as a soldier and commander. In this role Roey participated in the 2023 Home and Garden incursion in Jenin. When his unit left Jenin, Roey reported to the Commander of the Nahal Reconnaissance Battalion, Yehonatan Tzor (Barnish) z”l. The recorded conversation between them reveals that Roey asked for a “Hamburger, medium-rare, with goose breast on top.” In response Barnish told Roey that his alias (Kodkod) would be changed to Kodkod Shamen (Commander Chubby). Based on this recording, the Ruben Restaurant chain created the Kodkod Shamen Hamburger.
Operation: "Home & Garden" military briefing recording
(Press on the center of the picture to activate the recording,
press on the lower right side to enable audio)
On August 30, 2023, Roey’s twenty-fifth birthday, he began his last course of service in the Gaza Envelope.
Roey was killed in action on October 7, 2023 – after seven years of exemplary service and two weeks prior to his release from military duty – as he led his troops in a heroic battle against the Hamas terrorists who invaded Israel that morning.
Roey's actions saved many lives that day.
