Israeli President Honors Fallen Heroes of Kibbutz Be’eri by Inscribing Torah Scroll

Jerusalem, 3 December, 2023 (TPS) -- In a poignant ceremony on Sunday, Israeli President Yitzhak Herzog paid tribute to the memory of fallen heroes of Kibbutz Be’eri by inscribing a letter in a Torah scroll being written for the rebuilding community’s synagogue.

“I am very excited to fulfill this huge mitzvah, to write a letter in the Torah book in memory of Elhanan Clemenzon, may God avenge his blood, and to all those slaughtered in your holy name, the defenders of the land who stood up as a hero to fight against the evil terrorists who came to destroy us on the day of the joy of our Torah,” Herzog said.

The President was referring to the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah, which fell on Oct. 7. The holiday marks the end of the week-long Sukkot holiday and usually celebrated with dancing in synagogues and festive meals.

Elhanan Clemenzon, 43, who commanded a standby civilian security team in the nearby community of Otniel, is credited with saving dozens of lives in Be’eri, including pregnant women and the elderly before being killed trying to defend the kibbutz before being killed by a Hamas terrorist.

Rachel Fricker, a survivor of the attack on Be’eri said of the security team, “Their bravery forged an unbreakable bond. Words fail to capture their heroism—rescuing over a hundred people. Elhanan’s voice and unwavering confidence still resonate within me.”

At least 1,200 people were killed in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on Oct. 7. Another 240 men, women, children and soldiers were taken back to Gaza as hostages. Some people remain unaccounted for as Israeli authorities continue to identify bodies and search for human remains.

More than 100 people were massacred at Be’eri alone.