Five years after the late Border Police fighter Hadar Cohen was killed in a terrorist attack, her brother Yarin enlists in her wake • "I want to serve in Judea and Samaria at the Border Police, and continue what Hadar started"
Five years after his sister was killed in a terrorist attack at the Nablus Gate, Yarin Cohen, the brother of the late Chief of Staff Hadar Cohen, enlisted in the Border Police.
"For me, it is a dream to serve in significant places and continue what Hadar started, and to maintain public safety," he told Israel Today.
In February 2016 a terrible event shook an entire country.
The late Border Police soldier Hadar Cohen was killed in a shooting and stabbing attack carried out by three terrorists at the Nablus Gate, after responding by firing at the terrorists and rescuing her friends. Since then, Hadar has become a national heroine - dozens of babies have been named after her. The name "Maalot Hadar and Hadas" after two border guards who fell during an operation, and the two rookie companies of the border were called "Oz" and "Hadar" to commemorate her.
We met Yarin at his home in Or Yehuda, the day before his enlistment, when he recreates the The first moments after he opened the door of his house and saw the casualty officer and the city officer who asked where the parents were.
"In those moments I was somewhere else in life, I could not believe that something had happened to Hadar. The border officer of the border and the city officer asked me where my parents were and that I should come with them to Jerusalem with my sister Moore who was also at home," he said. Cooking for me, I was like a king at home, we would sit together a lot.
I will never forget my last meeting with her - on the Saturday before the tragic event she returned home after the swearing-in ceremony where she received the Border Police uniform, and went out for the first time with a weapon. She sat in the living room and begged the cartridges and I just looked at her admiringly. .
"I did not understand what was happening, I was sure she was just injured, only at the funeral and at seven I started to digest it. For me it was not perceived to this day that she is not here with me."
Yarin tells of the longing and admiration for his sister Hadar: "She is my heroine, we were told she responded by shooting that saved her friends, I am proud of her. It was not easy to convince my parents to sign me to enlist in combat service, I do the service for me. It's something I always wanted, Hadar would also tell me that I would be a border fighter.
I will always think of her and give her all so that she will be proud of me. "
On his ambitions, Yarin shares:" My dream is to serve in the most significant places.
"It will probably be very difficult for parents in Jerusalem, so I want to serve in the Judea and Samaria sector in the border and continue what Hadar started - to maintain public safety."
These days, Yarin is spending the holiday at the Border Police training base in Mikhmesh. He wears the corps' B uniforms with pride, and the intensities of longing for his sister only increase. "It's not easy to be here at all, but I'm sure I'll finish my training successfully and advance in the corps .
It is very exciting to be in the place where my big sister spent her last days. "
Father Ofer, who dedicates his life to commemorating his daughter Hadar, told us with mixed feelings:" I think every citizen in the country should contribute in a certain way.
"It was very difficult for me and Siegel, but we could not stand Yarin's determination to serve at the border. We miss Hadar, every moment in life only intensifies the longing."
