In a deeply symbolic tribute marking Israel’s Memorial Day, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wore the tefillin of Master Sergeant (Res.) Yossi Hershkowitz, a fallen soldier and beloved educator who was killed during his service in Operation Swords of Iron in Gaza. Standing draped in a prayer shawl before a map of the Middle East, Netanyahu described Hershkowitz as a man of deep faith and national devotion—someone who carried both a weapon and a violin.
He Held a Weapon in One Hand and a Violin in the Other
“On this Memorial Day, I have the privilege of putting on the tefillin of an Israeli hero,” Netanyahu wrote. “Yossi was filled with true love for Israel. When called to serve, he left his wife, Hadas, and their children—Be’eri, Hillel, Tal, Shira, and Neta—to protect the home we all share.”
Even from the battlefield in Gaza, Netanyahu noted, Yossi continued sending messages of strength to his family, his students, and the people of Israel.
From Grief to Strength
“Yossi combined nobility of spirit with unyielding determination,” Netanyahu said. “In one hand, he held his rifle. In the other—his violin.
We will turn our grief over Yossi’s fall, and that of all our heroes, into a melody—the melody of the power of a victorious generation.”
Earlier Ceremony at Mount Herzl
Earlier in the day, Netanyahu addressed the official state ceremony at Mount Herzl, following a two-minute siren and a flyover by the Israeli Air Force. He honored the bravery of Israel’s soldiers and reiterated the government’s ongoing commitment to returning the hostages still held by Hamas.
Our Generation Will Not Remain Silent
“Our sons and daughters do not stay silent in the face of what those monsters unleashed a year and a half ago,” Netanyahu said.
“They are determined to make those who carried out the atrocities pay.”
He concluded: “Thanks to the courage of our warriors, we have broken the stranglehold of our enemies.”
