Benji Hillman z”l was born on Tishrei 12, 5740 (October 3, 1979) in London, a second child for Judy and Danny, and a brother for Abigail. The family lived in Kingsbury in North-West London.
 

His younger brother Shimon was born in 1982, and the family made aliyah in December 1983 and settled in Ra’anana. Benji and his siblings attended the local religious primary school - Ariel, and at the age of 11 Benji went to Kiriyat Ya’acov Herzog (Mechina) in Kfar Saba, Three years later Benji attended Midrashiat Noam in Pardes Channa, where he graduated in 1997.He then spent a year at Bnei David, the pre-military yeshiva in Eli.
 

Benji joined the army in August 1998, and was accepted into the Egoz commando unit, a section of the Golani brigade. He finished his basic training with distinction, and was named the outstanding soldier in his battalion.In 2000 he graduated from officers’ training school, after which he held a number of positions both in Egoz and in the Golani 51st battalion, culminating in the position of company commander in the Egoz unit – the same position he held when he was killed.
 

During the course of his service he was sent abroad twice by the army: once to the USA to observe the US Rangers in training, and the second time to Canada to represent the army at the annual “March for Israel” in Toronto. A visit during which he lectured at many schools and businesses.
 

In June 2006 Benji married his long time girlfriend Ayala Borger. Major Benji Hillman was killed less than a month later in action in the Lebanese village of Moran a-Ras at the beginning of the Second Lebanon War on July 20, 2006.