A hachnasas Sefer Torah was held in the Nahariya נהר דעה Hesder Yeshiva in memory of abducted and slain IDF soldiers Ehud Goldwasser HY”D and Eldad Regev HY”D.
Taking part in the emotional event was Justice Minister Dr. Yaakov Ne’eman. Hundreds of others were on hand, marking four years since their deaths were confirmed and their bodies returned by Hizbullah for kvura in Eretz Yisrael.
IDF Chief Rabbi Brigadier-General Rafi Peretz, former IDF Chief Rabbi (reserves) Brigadier-General Avichai Ronsky and the minister danced with the Sefer Torah. Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Eliyahu Bloom told participants “When the bodies were returned we decided we wanted to do something to remember them. Ehud was the only soldier killed from our yeshiva in the Second Lebanon War. Naturally, the other talmidim became attached to their story, and wanted to do something, as well as remaining in touch with the families.”
Mr. Tzvi Regev, the father, showed much emotion, especially because so many never met or knew his son, yet he was part of the event.
Justice Minister Ne’eman commented on the unique character of this particular hesder yeshiva as well as the entire hesder program.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
10 Responses
Not to diminish the memory of these kedoshim who gave their lives al kiddush Hashem, but what in the world could the IDF possibly do with a Sefer Torah? The whole purpose of the existence of the army (according to many here)is to make young men become chilonim. Why then the need for a Sefer Torah? Akuperma? Any thoughts?
The National Council of Young Israel has donated over 200 sifrei Torah to the IDF. And more are needed. There are multitudes of soldiers that want sifrei Torah for krias haTorah, just like the rest of Klal Yisroel.
To Yanky55: Your comment boggles the mind. Just because stupid, idiotic words are said by “many here”, does that mean that you have to be equally idiotic to believe them?Does the number of frum Eretz Yisrael loving soldiers tell you anything? Have you ever visited a Hesder yeshiva? Even the chilonim have done something you probably haven’t done for Klal Yisrael: they’ve been mossar nefesh!
Maybe if more people would use this Sefer Torah (and the Torah, in general) to make a kiddush Hashem and be m’karev our chiloni brothers and sisters (and they are our brothers and sisters) instead of dividing us further, we would have a chance at Moshiach coming sooner.
What a wonderful Mitzva. I pray each day for the Holy souls of these 2 Kedoshim , who gave up their lives defending our country..
Who are you to say anything? Where you in the army? Are you in the army? Does that fact that you read a newspaper allow you to voice your opinions as a fact???
Yanky, Very good point. Your Yeshivish logic is impeccable.If only more people thought like you, Moshiach would come right away.
To #3 and #6-
I guess you don’t recognize sarcasm when you see it. Of course I disagree with those who make those idiotic comments!!!
I have a brother and many nephews who served in the IDF, some in Hesder yeshivos. I have told the story more than once about how proud I was of my brother for having a career officer booted out of the army for refusing to take a leben out a (field base) fleishig mess tent, as army regulations state that it is forbidden to do so! He also fulfills his milu’im by giving a gemara shiur at an air force base and kashers IDF kitchens for Pesach.
My point was that there IS very much a need for Sifrei Torah in the IDF and that those who believe otherwise have no clue as to what they are talking about. They never served a day in the IDF.
P.S. I am relieved to see that there are people here who disagree with those who believe that nonsense about the goal of the IDF being to make young men non religious!
Yanky, in all due respect, as much as I thought you might be sarcastic in your comment, this is after all YWN. Which is why I responded with my Yeshivish logic comment.
I’m pleased to see that we’re both on the same page.
Note: I was not clear about the leben thing. It is forbidden according to IDF regulations to bring milchigs into a fleishig mess tent. On bases, there are separate mess tents. In the field there are only fleishig ones and if you want to eat milchig, you must eat it outside….