President Shimon Peres on Monday made a shiva call to the family of IDF Corporal Yosef Nachman Fartuch HY”D, who was killed by a Hamas rocket during Operation Pillar of Defense. Mr. Peres arrived at the Shomron community of Emanuel, listening attentively as the family spoke of their fallen son, sharing stories about his life.

The father spoke of Yossi’s insistence to serve in an IDF combat unit, and how they supported his decision and how proud they were of him. They shared that they felt the decision to enter the military helped him to strengthen as a person both spiritually and in matters of gashmiyus.

Yossi’s dad also told President Peres that his father served in the IDF and fought in three wars, and was among the seriously wounded in the infamous Park Hotel terror attack on Pesach.

The president used the visit to meet with Emanuel’s mayor, Ezra Gershi, inquiring into life in the chareidi city and the status of the community industrial center. Gershi updated the president on building permits received towards building a factory to process recycled goods, and thanked the national government for the assistance.

Other prominent government officials making a shiva visit to date include senior IDF officers, Deputy Prime Minister Eli Yishai, Minister of Religious Services Yaakov Margi and MK Nissim Ze’ev.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)