‘A war against the darkness’: IDF tank commander Ram Melamed-Cohen’s message to Australian Jews

He’s a tank commander in the IDF, a veteran of brutal combat missions in Gaza, and now, an emissary in Australia – educating the Jewish community about the war and the realities of anti-Semitism.

Ram Melamed-Cohen in Sydney. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers

At just 23, Ram Melamed-Cohen has seen far more than most people ever will in a lifetime.

As a tank commander in the Israeli Defence Forces, Ram has uncovered Hamas tunnels and faced brutal combat. Now in Australia, he’s speaking to the Jewish community about his experiences and addressing the rising tide of anti-Semitism.

“Before I came to Australia, people told me to ‘be ready’, because Australia never had anti-Semitism like this before,” Ram told The Australian.

He looks every bit like any other young adult, yet carries with him the weight of war most people his age can hardly fathom.

After spending four months in Gaza, Ram returned to Israel – but his time in uniform wasn’t over yet. His next mission would take him across the world, to Australia, not to fight but to educate.

He applied to a program that sends young Israelis to speak to Jewish communities around the world, hoping to share his story and offer an insight into life in Israel, Zionism and the ongoing conflict with Hamas.

But before his arrival in Melbourne, Ram was warned that anti-Semitism was out of control.

“People told me to be prepared for hate,” he said.

For the past few months, he has been visiting schools and community centres across the country, speaking about his experiences as a soldier and the challenges facing Jews globally.

“I know that the Australian Jews have been through a lot with this anti-Semitism, and my plan was to come and empower them and let them know that they shouldn’t give up,” he said. “This community is so strong, and I really appreciate and love them.

“I want to show them that being Jewish and being Israeli isn’t something to hide or be ashamed of. There’s so much misinformation … I want to give them the truth. I want them to know what we’re really fighting for.”

Ram in Gaza. Picture: Ram Melamed-Cohen

Though Ram hasn’t faced direct hostility in Australia, he was well aware of the tension. He’s seen the anti-Semitic stickers plastered around Melbourne calling for the destruction of Israel, and he’s heard about the protests.

“I know the hate exists,” he said. “And I’ve seen how it affects the Jewish community here.

“That’s why I’m here – to remind them that they’re not alone, and that we have to be strong.”

Most young Israelis, upon completing their mandatory service, return to civilian life.

But for Ram, the war in Gaza erupted just as he was stepping into his post-military life.

Rather than moving on, he chose to go back. Within days, Ram was back in uniform, commanding a tank and facing off against Hamas terrorists. His job was to patrol the border areas surrounding Gaza, looking for Hamas militants and preventing incursions into Israeli territory.

But soon, his mission became more dangerous. He and his team were tasked with penetrating deeper into Gaza to assist engineers searching for the extensive tunnel networks Hamas had constructed beneath the city.

“We found one of the largest tunnels ever discovered,” he said. “It was so large that even Benjamin Netanyahu came to see it.”

Ram in Gaza. Picture: Ram Melamed-Cohen

For months, Ram’s unit worked around the clock, providing security for engineers who worked to dismantle tunnels used by Hamas terrorists to launch attacks on Israel.

“When we first entered Gaza, it was like a ghost town,” Ram said. “Everything was destroyed – coffee shops, schools, homes. You could feel the danger around every corner.”

Among his more vivid memories are the moments of stark contrast: Driving his tank through the battlefield with the smell of blood and destruction lingering in the air, only to pass by a farm and catch the scent of cows. “It felt like the world was trying to reset itself,” he said. “Those moments reminded me that life does go on, even after all the devastation.”

Asked if he personally took out members of Hamas, Ram said: “Of course. We mostly saw them at night and we saw them try to aim a weapons on us, probably snipers … So we take off the whole level of the house.”

Ram’s time in Australia is coming to an end. In just a few weeks, he will return to Israel, where he expects to be called back to Gaza soon. His unit has already been redeployed, and it’s only a matter of time before he’s back in the thick of the war.

“We fight for freedom, for happiness, for everything good in this world,” he said. “I really feel like it’s not just war of survival, it’s also war of light against darkness.”

For Ram Melamed-Cohen, that fight is far from over.