A Memorial Day ceremony held in Jerusalem on Monday evening commemorated 47 Lone Soldiers who have fallen since October 7, as part of broader efforts to honor those who served without immediate family support.
More than 7,000 Lone Soldiers are drafted into the Israel Defense Forces each year, including over 3,700 new immigrants from abroad and more than 4,000 native-born Israelis serving without close family networks, according to organizers. Since the outbreak of the Iron Swords war, more than 1,100 IDF soldiers, both active-duty and reservists have been killed. Among them were 47 Lone Soldiers.
The ceremony took place at the Jerusalem Theater, bringing together bereaved families, public officials, fellow soldiers and members of the public. The event was also broadcast live to audiences in Israel and abroad.
It was organized as a joint initiative by several Lone Soldier support groups, including the FIDF – Nefesh B’Nefesh Lone Soldiers Program, Big Brother for Lone Soldiers, Tzofim Garin Tzabar, Wings Program, Growing Wings Foundation, Ruach Nechona, Harel Pre-Military Academy and the Michael Levin Lone Soldier Center, in partnership with the Jerusalem Municipality.
The ceremony was led by Lone Soldiers and conducted in both Hebrew and English.
Among those in attendance were Ofir Sofer, Mike Huckabee, Doron Almog and Yehoshua Fass.
Family members of fallen soldiers took part in the ceremony, sharing personal reflections. Among those remembered were Sergeant First Class Amir Fisher z”l, who immigrated from Ghana; Captain Ido Baruch z”l; Sergeant First Class Vladislav Sergienko z”l, who immigrated from Ukraine; Joshua Boone z”l, who immigrated from the United States; Captain (Res.) Denis Krokhamlov Veksler z”l, who immigrated from Ukraine; Sergeant First Class (Res.) Ariel Lubliner z”l, who immigrated from Brazil; and Master Sergeant (Res.) Eliahou Benjamin Elmakayes z”l, who immigrated from France.
Organizers said the ceremony aimed not only to commemorate the fallen, but also to highlight the contribution of Lone Soldiers and express collective gratitude for their service. A recording of the event has been made available online.
Source:
www.jpost.com
