A heartfelt letter written by Sgt. Yosef Yehuda Hirak z”l, who was killed during Operation Gideon’s Chariots in Gaza, was revealed by his family following his death. The letter, penned on Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom HaShoah) while he was deployed in the Gaza Strip, reflects deep patriotism, emotional insight, and unwavering pride in his service.
Tears in My Eyes and Full of Emotion
Yosef began his letter with a personal reflection on the significance of the day: “Today is Holocaust Remembrance Day—the day we pause for two minutes to reflect on our roots and our past. Only through that can we truly appreciate the present and move forward with strength into the future, and toward redemption that is advancing in great strides, thank God!”
He described standing during the memorial siren at his post just beyond the Gaza border, dressed in uniform, weapon at the ready, and absorbing the stark contrast of the landscape before him: “During the siren, I stood on the Namer [an armored combat vehicle] beyond the Gaza fence in uniform with my rifle slung across my chest. On one side, I saw the Daraj neighborhood completely flattened after two weeks of operations there. On the other side—fields in full bloom in Nahal Oz and Kibbutz Kfar Aza. It was a stunning sight!”
I Wish They Could See Me Now
In his letter, Yosef expressed how deeply moved he was during that moment: “I don’t know about you, but I had tears in my eyes and was full of emotion. What went through my mind was—I wish my grandparents and their generation could see me now and feel this moment with me.”
A Legacy of Pride and Strength
Yosef closed his message with a note of faith and resolve: “Just know—we have an amazing and strong people and army!! Thank God for the privilege of being part of the tip of the spear of this nation!”
