IDF Life vs. Family Life: How They Balance Both | Avigal & Arky Staiman | Stories of Hope

We’ve heard countless stories about October 7th—of loss, challenges, miracles, and battles. Yet, one perspective remains untold: how the choice to go into battle profoundly impacts a marriage. Arky Staiman, originally from Baltimore, Maryland, was a paratrooper who later returned to the reserves as part of a unit dedicated to retrieving fallen soldiers. Since his first trip to Israel at 13, he felt deeply connected to the land. Avigail, raised in Teaneck, NJ, also felt Israel calling her heart and left an engineering degree at Johns Hopkins to restart her studies, and build a new life in Israel. In this powerful interview, Arky and Avigail share their extraordinary journey in detail, including living apart for over 300 days while Arky is at war. They open up about navigating the challenges of separation, the struggle to live independently, and the process of reconnecting as a married couple. Throughout this account, Arky emphasizes that a soldier's strength is deeply tied to his wife's support. He shares how the challenges of war are bearable only when a soldier knows his wife is steadfastly behind him. Despite witnessing the unimaginable, Arky has devoted himself to becomi