On the morning of October 7, 2023, Roy Valdman was preparing for a much-needed vacation. The commander of 1,000 police officers in southern Israel, overseeing five police stations, was on his way to Ben Gurion Airport with his wife, destined for Barcelona. Instantaneously, at 6:29 AM, everything changed.
His radio started buzzing. A mistake, he thought. Then he looked up. The sky was orange with fire, as rockets streaked, and smoke billowed in the distance. "We're shooting back," a nearby army soldier told him.
That's when it hit him. Israel was under attack. Valdman turned his car around and drove back home, watching the rockets rain as he changed into his uniform. In the first four hours alone, Hamas launched 3,000 rockets. Amid the chaos, he sent a message to his officers: Drop everything. Go. It was Simchat Torah, Yom Tov. Some Phones were off, but this was a matter of life and death.
By the time Valdman reached Sderot, it was already too late for some. The ground was permeated with bodies of police officers, soldiers, and civilians alike, cars flipped over, and flames engulfing buildings. The Iron Dome, usually Mr. Reliable, was saturated. "It felt like a horror movie," he said. "The officers were dying by the minute." He lost 61 officers in those first few hours. Unlike the military, the police lived in the very communities they protected. They didn't have the luxury of waiting for reinforcements. They were the first and lone line of defense.
"You are the last line of defense," the northern commander told him.
The Battle for Sderot:
Roy arrived with only a handful of officers in his car. The police station in Sderot was under siege. Inside, Hamas terrorists were killing officers and setting explosives.
"We had no choice," Valdman said. "We had to clear the base."
By 1 PM, he and his men had taken it back. "They were trying to kill police officers on that base, on the roof, and threw hand grenades at them, but we sent them back. The roof exploded and 8 police officers died."
For the next 50 hours, he barely stopped. Directing forces, responding to the next wave of terror, mourning the dead, and preparing for another attack.
Roy Valdman looking at Sderot Police Station on October 8th.
He sent officers to the Nova festival. To the sea. To the roads. The officer's mission wasn't to stop Hamas but at least contain them until the IDF regained their bearings. Most importantly, they wanted to prevent further massacres. "We were trying to detect the second wave of attack," he said. "Because we knew it was coming."
The first week was a blur of funerals, strategy, and survival. Just five days later, on October 12, they reopened the police station in Sderot despite ongoing sirens. "They may have taken our building," Valdman told his officers, "but they haven't taken our soul. Or our country." He took a picture of the sunrise on October 8 and sent the defining message of his career to a WhatsApp group with all Israeli units.
"We are a small nation. We are like no other nation. We've lost a lot of friends and now all live in grief. Let's fight for our brothers and the people of Israel. I stretch my hands and believe in you. We can defend Israel."
A Family of Fighters:
Roy doesn't consider his job as a police commander an ordinary one. He's always viewed this as destiny.
His father, Moshe, had fought in the 1973 Yom Kippur War and later became a police commander. Inspired by him, Roy joined the Israeli army and dedicated his life to protecting Israel.
Roy Valdman in “Kfar Aaza”
"My father loved the opportunity to defend his country," he said. "I took after him." Yet his father also prided himself on preparation. However, when asked if he was prepared for October 7, the veteran shook his head.
"No one was prepared for that day. But I was prepared for a day like that."
They trained for crises every day and every few weeks. "Preparation is everything," the candid captain said. Every day, I told my commanders, "Win your day."
The Macs, The March, and Tom Valdman:
This past January, Roy took a rare break. He came to Yeshiva University to recharge and spend quality father-son time with Macs guard Tom Valdman. He's not the type of father to analyze games with him unless Tom wants to. "Sometimes kids don't want to be told by their dad what to do. But I teach him some things when he opens up, which helps make him a better player."
The proud father was delighted to see the rigorous discipline firsthand.
"He wakes up at 5:15 AM every day for 6AM practice," Roy said. "You have to be disciplined, or you won't succeed." Basketball, like policing, is about the team. "You win as one. You're part of something bigger than yourself."
He proudly watched Tom and the Macs fight to a Skyline Conference title. Even from Israel, the man tunes in on MacsLive.
Finally, on January 18, for one night, he got to feel the energy of the Max Stern Athletic Center as YU rallied down double-digits past St. Joseph's Long Island for a 91-81 win. "I told Coach Elliot Steinmetz, that game was just like what's happening with the Jews in the world right now. We were attacked, but we came back, fought, and won. That's the Jewish spirit."
On Sunday, against Farmingdale State, the Macs did it again, overcoming a 16-point second-half deficit for an 81-78 stunner. Zevi Samet's go-ahead three-pointer captivated Jewish sports fans across the globe. That conquest was about grit and symbolized the power of a nation that refuses to back down despite the malicious provocations they’re faced with.
Yeshiva will continue its March Madness run, dancing into Boston, as a 15 seed and 19-point underdogs against the #2 ranked and pod hosts, Tufts Jumbos. Blue and white supporters will undoubtedly be in droves by Friday at 1:15 PM. Yet the Macs aren't just playing for Yeshiva University in spirit. They're fighting for Roy, Tom, and every Jew who refuses to be beaten down. The players and coaches realized their platform before each game this year, wearing shirts, recognizing the need to bring home the hostages, and handing them out to opponents to join in support. The roster carries seven Israelis, all holding the October 7 events close to their heart 18 months later. Most recently, they've worn orange shirts in warmups throughout their Skyline playoff run to honor the fallen Bibas family, which they plan on doing again in front of a national audience this week.
Roy knows the Macs won't directly impact the ongoing political strife between Israel and Hamas, but they don't have to because their contributions through basketball are enough. "Basketball is a place of shelter, it's a safe zone to relax. People go to take stress off and it is great both physically and mentally. Use it as a tool to be sharp in life. Sometimes when I want to clear my mind, I take the ball and shoot some hoops for half an hour and it makes me think things clearly. As a former basketball player myself, it's a safe zone."
Valdman, a lawyer, added that basketball teaches you how to block out noise, care for your teammates, and outwork enemies, which he wants to be remembered for when he retires. The lawyer hopes to one day be promoted to commissioner of all Israeli police, not just 1,000 men. He advised if you want to be in law enforcement, consider the bigger picture and decide the small steps you need to reach your goal. "Vision over sight", he said. Recently, some of his 100 police officers captured were returned as part of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. "We've learned from October 7," he commented. "There won't be another one. We'll be ready."
As Jews, we are more potent than before. So, as the Macs retake the court, rising to the "Tuft" task and "Jumbo" moment that is a Round of 64 NCAA DIII game, they're batting for something far more significant than a trophy. Through every rebound, bucket, and victory, YU reminds everyone that the Jewish people always rise again.
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