Staff Sgt. Ohad Yaari, of Blessed Memory, Laid to Rest: “A Determined Young Man With an Enormous Heart for Giving”

At the military cemetery in Rehovot, Staff Sgt. Ohad Yaari, of blessed memory, a 21-year-old Givati soldier from Rehovot who was killed the day before yesterday in southern Lebanon, was laid to rest this afternoon (Sunday).

Yaari is survived by his parents, Naama and David, and three brothers. His father, David, eulogized him: "You were a determined young man with an enormous heart for giving, without too much noise or special ceremony, the one everyone wanted to turn to for advice. They told us about your military professionalism alongside your smile and laughter. You were the champion of supermarket shopping. You kept smiling — even after an attack in Lebanon. We are ready to continue the journey. It will be a journey of tears and sorrow — and also of joy."

His brothers, Moshe, Amitai, and Dvir, said goodbye: "You were simple and deeply meaningful. Everything you did, you did in the most professional way. The smart kid who knew every software program and app, who calmed everyone down and convinced Mom that everything would be okay and that what needed to happen would happen. You were a good person, with no shortcuts. You always did what needed to be done — even when it was hard. As a soldier, you gave your all, exactly as you did in everything in life. You were a professional in every

Ohad, a graduate of Yeshivat Maalot, was the son of David and Naama, members of the religious Zionist community in Rehovot. He was the cousin of Yehuda Shmuel Sherman, of blessed memory, who was murdered about three months ago at the "Shuva Yisrael" farm, near Homesh in northern Samaria.

The commander of Givati’s training base, Lt. Col. Shmuel Bitit, eulogized him at the funeral on behalf of the IDF: "Ohad, today we accompany you on your final journey. The pain is great and the sorrow is deep. We think about the person you were, the path you chose, and everything you did for the State of Israel. No words have the power to describe the loss caused to us and to your family."

He added: "Your commanders and friends testify that you were a special person, someone who always volunteered, reached out a hand, and gave of himself beyond what was required. A thoughtful person who came with solutions, not problems. A soldier every commander wanted by his side. You fell in a tragic operational accident. Ohad, you fell while carrying out your mission as a soldier and defending the State of Israel. Your legacy and your values will continue to accompany us on the road ahead."