Hundreds of friends and family members accompanied Sergeant Shiloh Yosef Amir, 22, from Kibbutz Meirav in Gilboa, who was killed yesterday in a terrorist attack near Kedumim - on his final journey - to the military base on Mount Herzl this morning (Friday).
The funeral procession was attended by ministers Bezalel Smotrich, Ofir Sofer and Nir Barkat, and the head of the Kedumim Council, Hananel Durani.
The commander of the Givati Patrol said goodbye: "Shila, we stand here today shocked and in pain. You enlisted on March 21 and went through the challenging path to become a fighter in the patrol. Throughout your service, you participated in complex operations, always the first to volunteer. You were a man of truth, you said everything that was on your mind. You carried out every mission to the end. Yesterday, instead of going home, you chose to join your friends in the patrol to protect the citizens of Israel. You strove for contact, thereby preventing harm to civilians and fell a martyr.".
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Rabbi of Kibbutz Meirav Rabbi Eitan Zucker eulogized: "You ascended in a storm to heaven. We have been neighbors for many years, since your birthday, and we are good together. Always a smile on your lips, always a kind word. A true friend of your friends, a good heart. Your house would come to life if you had come from the army. You always saw good. Everyone knew that you could ask for help.".
A member of Kibbutz Elkana Carami eulogized his friend: "Shiloh, my brother, the hero. Until last night there were five reasons for the 17th of Tammuz and today we have six. It is clear to me why it is like this because you and the Temple are the same thing, truth and purity with zero fakes. You are a dwelling place for Hashem. You wanted and fought and did not give up. You always demanded to understand the truth and what the Torah wants from us. Hashem is proud of you, you gave your life to the Land of Israel.
""We need to learn the truth from you. You were the most truthful in front of friends, family and the Creator of the world. Your respect for your parents is second to none. You fell in the war for the Land of Israel.".
Nathaniel Amos, a lone soldier from Canada, Shiloh's friend from the army, eulogized: "He was my first friend in the army. He always cared about others. He was a model for me.".
Patrolman Daniel Yemini paid tribute: "Shila was a true fighting fox, someone everyone on the team would want to be with in the most dangerous places. He would call people who were closing on Shabbat and ask what they were missing. The team will never forget how he took the reins and raised the morale of the team.".
Family friend Dorit Avidani paid tribute: "Shiloh was bold and courageous. No one thought that the meaning of your name would be 'Shi to Hashem.' Shiloh was a boy destined for greatness. The hand of the wicked cut off this future.".
His aunt Rachel Dadon eulogized: "A boy with a huge soul and heart, deeply connected to his family. You made sure to visit Grandma every time she went on vacation and enjoy her cooking. Yesterday, when she heard the news, Grandma collapsed and said, 'Why do I have to bury him, he has to bury me?' I still feel your warm embrace when you visited me after surgery. That smile of yours, the sons of injustice who hurt you will never be able to erase.".
Shahar, his sister, eulogized: "I don't understand and can't digest it. You are the light of the house. Always surrounded by friends, beloved. I can't believe I lost you. I didn't just lose a brother, I also lost a friend. You always knew how to encourage and hug. You knew when to make me laugh. You proved that it is possible to overcome any obstacle and achieve any goal.".
She shared: "You were willing to do anything to protect the country. To give everything without fear or questions. This is what you wanted to do in the future and this is what you did yesterday. A hero of ours, of an entire country.".
Roy, his brother, eulogized: "I wrote you a personal letter, from me to you. You are a man of people who loved you with all their heart. A wise and charismatic man with whom you are never bored for a second, simply a social magnet. We say goodbye to you after you devoted yourself to the mission of defending the country.".
Esther, his sister, eulogized: "You were not supposed to stay there, you volunteered as you always do, you offer yourself and support everyone. God chose you to be there at this time to take you and left us with all the pain below.".
""I believe you have completed your role in this world. You wanted to protect the country. You were murdered on the day of destruction and this is our private destruction. You were the most poisoned soldier in the IDF.".
Orly, his mother eulogized: "My hero, my beloved, do you know how a mother feels when her perfect son is taken away from her? The beautiful and the good and the sensitive, the valuable. Yesterday I felt like my soul, my joy, the rest of my strength were taken from me, my heart refuses to believe, it is broken into pieces, our life, you know how hard it is to return a deposit like you, a command of 22 years of love.
""You taught us what love is, love for home, for parents, siblings, friends, grandmother and most importantly love for the homeland. You loved her the most, you understood your mission and stuck to it, nothing will be the same, our world was destroyed on the 17th of Tammuz. We lost our golden prince, our golden hair with the magical smile and the huge heart, anyone who knew Shiloh knows that being around him is being happy, it's mainly hearing how proud he is to be a member of the Givati family, the Givati Patrol, that purple has become our color.
""Our Shiloh, you couldn't see anyone sad, but my love, all you left behind is a broken family. Rest in peace. Be a champion of righteousness for the people of Israel. Lord of the universe, protect our IDF soldiers. Make peace for us and for the entire people of Israel, and find comfort for us in this unimaginable pain.".
David, Shiloh's father, eulogized: "Shiloh, our dear and beloved son, this situation is difficult for me, I cannot digest that I am standing before the people of Israel and eulogizing you, my beloved. How do we move forward without you? A precious treasure full of joy, dear Shiloh, you were always the first to come and the last to leave, you were loved by family and friends, your presence flooded everyone around you with joy.
""Even when you went to take the mission and you were the first to reach the touch, and so you absorbed the fire. Shiloh, the love of our lives, in your death you commanded us life, you will forever remain in our hearts, and to you, Lord of the world, we are persecuted, for living in our own land and because we have clung to you, Lord our God, from here we swear that we will protect our land forever and ever. And you, Shiloh, beloved beloved, rest in your bed in peace, and at your request, Lord of the world, protect and defend the soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces and our holy land.".
Economy Minister Nir Barkat paid tribute: "It is difficult to describe the heartache that we all feel at these moments, a great loss for the entire State of Israel. Rani expresses deep sorrow over the fall of the late Shiloh. There is no way to console the loss of a son and brother. We can ensure that his legacy and image will continue to light our path.".
Barkat continued: "The vile terrorist who carried out the attack came to murder us all because we are Jews. Terrorism is trying to scare us. Our answer is not just to harm the murderers. Our answer is to deepen our grip on the ground. We will continue to prove to the terrorists, not with words but with actions, that they will never succeed in achieving their goal.".
