A Dreamer and A Fighter

From the age of eighteen, Amitai Zvi Granot kept a private journal reflecting on his life, values, and the meaning of existence. After his death in battle on Israel’s northern border at the start of the 2023 “Swords of Iron” War, his parents found the journals, which revealed his unique character, inner world, and the high moral standards he set. In his candid words, we meet a young man whose life was rich with meaning, love, and spiritual depth.

A Dreamer and a Fighter presents selections from Amitai’s journals, edited by his father, Rabbi Dr. Tamir Granot, who added reflections and commentary—creating a moving dialogue between father and son, past and present, grief and hope. The book weaves Amitai’s writings with interpretation that illuminates his thought, tracing his journey, struggles, and the path he forged. His mother, Avivit, contributed paintings inspired by his words in the weeks after his death.

Since their discovery, Amitai’s journals have touched countless hearts, proving that even in a cynical, media-saturated world, authentic words can move the soul and offer hope. Readers seeking meaning are invited on a journey of spiritual searching through Amitai’s deeply Jewish, profoundly human, and sincere writings.

Rabbi Dr. Tamir Granot is head of Yeshivat Orot Shaul and a Holocaust scholar, author of Faith and Man in the Face of the Holocaust, Devarim – Faith, Man, Nation, Wisdom of the Heart – Hasidic Sermons from Tel Aviv, and The Soul of the Sugya – Lessons on Tractate Shabbat.

Major Amitai Zvi Granot (z”l) fought Hezbollah terrorists on the Lebanese border from Simchat Torah 5784 (October 7, 2023) until he fell in battle on 30 Tishrei 5784 (October 15, 2023).

Publisher:

Hemed Books

Pages:

288

Date Published:

11\2025