Hi Hanoch... Letters from the Families of Fallen Soldiers
Voices of Israel in Translation
Today I again bring translations of letters written to Israeli comedian Hanoch Daum, who is a vessel and a voice for all kinds of Israelis- those missing their loved ones in captivity, those wanting to share about the great kindness of another in this difficult time, soldiers experiencing a hardship of some kind due to their long months on duty, and, or especially, the voice of families of fallen soldiers.
Hanoch regularly shares letters such as these. I bring here one from a family of a soldier who fell one year ago, and one from a family whose son/brother fell just this week. People write him - “Hi Hanoch…” and then go on to share their hearts, because they know through him they can reach so many eyes, ears and hearts.
I am moved to bring their words to even more people. Please share Translating Israel: One Voice at a Time with others so their messages will reach even more hearts.
Hi Hanoch, my name is Nadav, the twin brother of the late Omri Ben Shahar. It's hard to lose a twin brother. It's hard to lose a person like Omri. As someone who connects people, we want to share with you our terrible loss, but also the basis for our hope, so that you can help us share Omri's spirit and pass it on.
Omri fell in the battle of Khan Yunis exactly a year ago. One year ago they took him from us, but they did not take from us his smile. His optimism, nor his values. Last Friday, we had a picnic in Omri's spirit, hundreds of people of all kinds arrived– religious, secular, right-wing, left-wing, spiritual-types, silly-types, old people, young people.Simply people.
People whose lives Omri was a part of and they were a part of his; he loved people, a pure love devoid of interests. Omri so loved life it was infectious- everyone around him was affected- loving the big and the small moments. And Omri is with us, before his loss and after it, showing that even in moments of despair, he directs and shows us that it is possible otherwise.
He symbolizes kindness and all that is good in the world, and that for heroes like my brother Omri, we are committed to continuing their war; he symbolizes life. Omri is an essential part of our past, an inseparable part of the present, and I want to believe that he is part of the future. Because that is what we want and what we need: to smile, love and live together.
Let us be Omri.
We miss you❤️
Hanoch, I am the brother of Erez Ben Ephraim, the soldier who fell yesterday in Lebanon. I have a few words that I would like you to share so that people can get to know him personally, and not as the hero of the entire nation that he’s become - but our Erez.
Erez, our beloved son and brother, was the most precious being to us. We are saying goodbye to a rare, talented and beautiful young man. It is difficult to summarize in words his talent, his range of abilities and the qualities that he had. Erez had a special hunger for life - he loved to try new things (and of course be the best at them). Between playing guitar and Thai boxing, Erez also managed to be a climber and a programmer. It always seemed that he would succeed in everything he touched.
But more importantly, Erez was a good son, a loving brother, and a true friend, who always knew how to reach everyone, to make them laugh, and to create a personal and unique connection with everyone.
Our beloved, we would say that you were salt of the earth, but in our opinion that is not enough to describe how special you were... You would have returned to us from reserve duty so radiant from the actions you did there, you would have been so proud to enter Lebanon and do something significant.
We will love you always, and will do everything so you will be remembered as specially beautiful as you were ❤️
