On Wednesday, hundreds accompanied Maj. Shai Shamriz of the Shapira Center, a company commander in the 931st Battalion, the Nahal Brigade, who fell in battle in the northern Gaza Strip. Many spoke of a revered commander, a brilliant guide in Bnei Akiba, a man of connection and giving.
His father, Shaul, delivered a particularly long and painful eulogy, in his name and in the name of his mother Danielle, "Shishush, my lovers, my unique dear with your permission, I wrote a eulogy, how do you summarize human life? The last time I wrote to you it was at a bar mitzvah, what proud parents we were. I said that I was so naughty as a child that I don't deserve a child like you – beloved and dear," he eulogized in a trembling voice, "Much more will be told and this is not the place to expand, but you are unique and special. You absorbed from them all, your image was shaped by the connection between East and West, secular and religious, kibbutzim and urban. Israelites, Jews, Muslims, Christians and Druze. You have learned to cherish and love everyone who was born in the image.
"Your inner peace has captured your hearts, your kind smile and simple, thoughtful language have carried far away. We are very proud of you. When you were little, Mom and I told you, 'Be careful, don't do disrespectful things that won't say, Shaul and Danielle's sons behaved inappropriately.' And you were a lovely boy, you kept our honor and today we Shai's parents are honored with your honor. My loving son, we raised you to love Israel, in high school from the Yavne group, you inherited the love of the land from the heroes of the country: Holocaust survivors and fighters."
Painfully endearing in memory of Shai Shamriz z"l, photo: uncredited
His tormented father continued, "In the past year and a half, the cursed year of division, what didn't they say about our public, 'anti-democrats, not brothers in arms, more detracting from Hamas, cancer in the body of the state,' what not. The kick in the stomach we received from our brothers was painful, but we love our brothers on the left and understand that they are afraid, if only they know that we love them and we will not allow anyone to hurt them," the father says, almost bursting into tears, "They are the flesh of our flesh all the children of Israel, Jews and non-Jews, left and right, Sephardic and Ashkenazi, the old aliyah and the new aliyah. You didn't let the divisive discourse get through you, your life is all sectors, you loved everyone." The bereaved father also referred to Alon Shamriz, a relative who was killed by IDF fire, "When you went down south, you said you would look for him, and do your best to find him."
"Humility and modesty brought you forward"
His commander, Lt. Col. Meni Ivri, spoke on behalf of the Israel Defense Forces, "You became one of the brigade's leading sniper platoon commanders. I was privileged to command you as a company commander in Bakh, where I was exposed to your abilities, without a doubt you are an outstanding commander and officer who takes care of his men and carries out his tasks with the joy of doing. Together with the humility, humility and work that brought you uncompromising achievements. You grew as commander of the 931st Spearhead Company. Your commanders who are not here today to pay their last respects tell of the wisdom that has accompanied you in everything you do.
"A beloved commander of the best, an idealist, one who knows what he wants and does not compromise for a moment. A man of action and values who knows how to perform any task with precision and dedication with a big smile and a desire to do. A commander whose soldiers admired him and his command abilities. Every one of your soldiers was deep in your heart. And they felt it, too. You fought alongside them bravely and valiantly, and they followed you without hesitation. When you're always up front, always doing your best, and they're very proud when you're the commander at their head. Before you entered Gaza with your soldiers, you stood with your soldiers and told them: This is our turn. I have the privilege of standing here with a bunch of heroes who say: I am. The IDF will win, the good is with us and hope is with us."
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