Adi Ashkenazi is used to bringing smiles to the faces of many Israeli citizens, but on Wednesday she saddened many when she published a heartbreaking eulogy for her relative who fell in battle in the Gaza Strip.
The comedian painfully spoke about the virtues of Capt. Liel Hayu, a Golani fighter who was killed in battle in Sejaiya, about his dreams that were dashed – and about the sense of pride in the fallen who sacrificed their lives for the homeland. "Liel Hilo, a Golani commander in the 51st Battalion who fell yesterday in the terrible battle in Gaza, is my relative, my sister-in-law's nephew," Ashkenazi explained at the beginning of a post on her Instagram account, where she has 144,<> followers, to which she attached photos of Hilo and his funeral. "Today, at his heartbreaking funeral on Mount Herzl, we bitterly learned about him, about the rare guy he was. For the kindness, for the outstanding and leading, humble, giving commander who put others before him in every matter. A guy with a kippah who believed in the Creator, as well as in Himself and the good intentions of everyone around him."
Capt. Liel's teammates lived at his funeral, yesterday // Photo: Yoni Rikner
She added: "You were eulogized by your dear father Shiko, your friends in arms and family members, and they all spoke one truth – it burns your heart to think that you will not continue to live among us, to marry your beloved Harel, to whom you have already bought a ring, to lead your soldiers in the field, to return to Ravit and Shiko your parents, and smile your radiant smile. The words about you have reinforced in all of us the feeling that the best are taken. All that remains for us in life is to stand tall to the level of loyalty and morality of the fallen. May your memory be clear, my beloved and dear Liel Hilo," she concluded.
Ashkenazi's colleagues and entertainment industry celebrities responded to the post, expressing solidarity with the unbearable loss. "You're heartbroken," wrote stand-up comedian Abby Nussbaum. "Dida, makes you stronger. A strong hug to the family. What a loss. May I be blessed, truly the best," added "Wonderful Land" star actress Gia Be'er Gurevich. "We are all crushed by you," Harel Sakat pained. "A terrible breakdown, embracing and strengthening," wrapped in love actress Anya Bukstein.
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