When news of the October 7 attack reached Israeli students at elite university campuses in the U.S., many of them were unsure whether to return to Israel or stay on campus.
Jonathan didn’t hesitate for a moment—he boarded a plane and volunteered for active reserve duty with Division 98, which played a central role in the fighting and maneuvering in both Gaza and Lebanon.

Jonathan leveraged the connections he built during his studies in computer science, physics, and mathematics at Columbia University in the U.S. to raise donations for equipment for the reserve brigades in the division. This included funding and donating drones for operational needs, such as intelligence gathering, reconnaissance, sensing, and patrol missions.

Drawing on the expertise he gained during his military service in integrated drone warfare, Jonathan led a groundbreaking project: introducing drone-based combat to a reserve paratrooper brigade. After securing the commanders’ approval and creating a detailed work plan, he raised over $1.5 million to purchase more than 160 drones and train over 100 reserve fighters. During combat in Khan Yunis, these drones became the forces’ eyes on the ground, helping to identify threats, terrorists, and dangers in real time. They prevented tragic incidents, alerted forces to risks, and ultimately saved lives.

After completing his active reserve duty with the division and returning to the challenging reality of campus life in the U.S., Jonathan decided to channel everything he had experienced into one goal—groundbreaking technological entrepreneurship.