When a Soldier Falls

The Fellowship  |  January 29, 2015

In the wake of the latest terror attack in the Holy Land, Fellowship writer Yonit Rothchild shares her perspective on losing another one of Israel’s sons.  

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu once described Israel as so small that if you put your finger over it on a map, you completely cover it.

That’s why, when a soldier falls, the whole country holds their breath.

In a country so small, the chances of knowing the victim are quite large. Sadly, when two of our Israel Defense Forces soldiers were killed this week in northern Israel by Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon, I found out that one was from my area in southern Israel.

Twenty-five-year-old Yochai Kalengel grew up in a town across from my own. His young wife, Tali, grew up right where I live now. They were newly married and living in Jerusalem with their one-year-old child.

God has created our nation such that when one of us in Israel is hurt, we all hurt. But truthfully, shouldn’t that be the same everywhere – whether you are in Jerusalem, Paris, or New York? Shouldn’t we all feel the pain when one dies in the service of a just cause?

We are all in this together. We must feel each other’s pain, and then, God willing, we will also share the joy in each other’s victories.