Y. took off with David Hager, who has been supporting and accompanying Netzah Yehuda (an ultra-Orthodox battalion) for over 25 years. "I will stand in the name of my comrades-in-arms," he said.
On Holocaust Remembrance Day, amid ceremonies, eulogies and tears, Y. connects the current war to the memories of bygone days.
Despite the severe injury and the daily rehabilitation struggle, Y. never gave up. On Wednesday, he flew to Poland as part of a special delegation. David Hager, a businessman and a key donor to Netzah Yehuda, who has been accompanying the soldiers for over 25 years, is supporting Y. throughout the journey.
At the emotional memorial event held in Auschwitz, IDF soldiers and David Hager lit a memorial candle for the souls of the Holocaust victims — in prayer for the safety of IDF soldiers and for the future of the Jewish people. Y. stood tall on one leg, as a symbol of resilience, faith and the strength of the Israeli spirit. "I stand in the name of my comrades-in-arms," he said, "for Uriel, for the friends who were injured, and for all those who fell, so that we could be a free nation in our land."
David Hager added: "When I stand here alongside Y., an ultra-Orthodox combatant who was severely wounded in battle, I feel the strength of the people of Israel — the deep connection between the generations, between those who perished in the Holocaust and the soldiers who are defending our state today. Y. is a true hero, and he represents the indomitable spirit of the fighters of Netzah Yehuda."
