Thousands of mourners accompanied 23-year-old IDF Sergeant First Class Dovid Yehuda Yitzhak on Wednesday as he was brought to his final resting place at Jerusalem’s Mount Herzl Military Cemetery.
The soldier, a fighter with the elite Egoz unit, lived in the Jewish community of Beit El. He was killed Tuesday during the final day of the counter terrorism Operation Bayit V’Gan (House and Garden) in the northern Samaria terrorist hotbed of Jenin.
Yitzhak is survived by his parents and six siblings.
Among those attending the funeral were representatives from the Israel Defense Forces and members of Yitzhak’s unit along with his family and friends.
“I asked myself how I could describe your pure soul,” Yitzhak’s father, Moshe Binyamin, shared in his eulogy.
“You always returned home with guests you met, who you brought with your sweet smile. I wanted to tell everyone about your vacations from the army — that you would come home without a uniform or the medals that you earned through hard work but would immediately put them in the drawer so no one would feel uncomfortable.
“You saw everyone’s pain as if it were your own pain. A boy who was entirely soul, you dove into the hearts of everyone, and you strived for the simple truth.
“I see the team that fought alongside you, who became your brothers, and I want to tell you that today you also became part of all of Israel’s family.
“Your grandfather, Rabbi Azriel, said that you have to accept harsh rulings with love, so thank you, God, that you lent David to me for 23 years. Ima and the kids love you, and you will always live in our hearts.”
The soldier’s commander, Egoz Lt. Col. “M” eulogized Yitzhak as a “fighter and an angel, a man with a heart of gold, dedicated and full of faith which kept you going.”
The commander said Yitzhak was a “leading part of the mission, and now you have given your life for the citizens of Israel. You always pushed yourself to be ethical, on the best side, because of your values instilled at home.
“You are the ideal Egoznik.
“The unit has lost an amazing man and warrior. We bow our heads and will always be with you. David, in the name of us all, I salute you for who you were, and you will always be.”
