“It is a most difficult hour and we are seeking nechama, comfort. We take comfort from your colleagues in Golani and in yeshiva and we ask you, please do not be afraid. We hope you leave here with a message of strength,” stated his father Eli Wurtman at his levaya.

Dagan, 32, was a resident of Yishuv Maale Michmas in the Benjamin Regional Council area of Shomron, attended the Yashlatz Merkaz HaRav Yeshiva High School in Jerusalem. He then went to the Or Etzion Hesder Yeshiva and then the Har HaMor Yeshiva. After six years of torah learning, he entered the IDF and served in the Golani Brigade, eventually serving as a company commander in the 13th Regiment of the infantry brigade.

His rosh yeshiva, Rabbi Yonatan Sternberg in his eulogy cited the late officer’s “gadlus” (greatness) and marvelous “midos” (character traits).

Dagan was buried on Tuesday in Har Herzl Military Cemetery. His direct superior, Lt.-Colonel Oren Cohen, the regiment commander, was seriously wounded in mistaken fire incident requested to come to the funeral but was unable to do so.

IDF Chief Rabbi Brig.-Gen. Avichai Ronsky was a personal friend of Dagan. “I see you in front of my eyes, your wonderful smile” stated Rav Ronsky in his hesped (eulogy).

Major Dagan Wurtman is survived by his parents and three siblings. (Official reports earlier that Dagan was a physician were erroneous).

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)