The annual ceremony of communion with the memory of the fallen of the Kfir Brigade took place yesterday (Wednesday, 9/16/26) at the Kfir Brigade Memorial in Afula, headed by the Chief of Staff, Maj. Gen. Eyal Zamir, Commander of the Central Command, Maj. Gen. Avi Balut, Commander of the 99th Division, Brigadier General Elad Tzuri, and Chief Infantry and Paratrooper Officer, Brigadier General Omer Cohen, and in the presence of the bereaved families, past and present brigade commanders and soldiers.
From the representative of the bereaved families, Hanna Hillel, mother of the late First Sergeant Elia Hillel: "'Don't be afraid to fall in love that will break your heart' - They weren't afraid to fall in love even though they knew it might end and leave behind
Loving couples.
'To search for where we came from' – they did not forget our roots and our right to the beloved land.
'Be grateful for what you have' – you went into battle full of gratitude for our life as a people.
You promised to preserve and protect so that the life of the people and the homeland would continue, even at the heavy price that your own lives are no longer yours. We all hear the stories of heroism and are moved by how the stories sometimes sound so similar, and then we realize that this is not a cliché.
"This is the time to thank the dear, so dedicated people who have accompanied us from that damned moment to this day: past and present brigade commanders, past and present battalion commanders, members of the casualty section, female casualty officers, who accompany us with sensitivity, dedication and love, and remind us every day that we are not alone on this journey. They are with us on Memorial Day and also in happy moments in life. Thank you, and may there be no more families added."
From the Chief of Staff, Major General Eyal Zamir: "Dear families, behind the glorious legacy of fighting, the achievements, and the stories of heroism that have woven this evening, are the people who meant the world to you. They are the familiar voice in the house, the memories that have been accumulated over the years, few and too short, and all those small, precious moments that only you know.
We cannot bring back what was lost, and we cannot bear the intensity of longing and pain in your place. With your fallen heads, we bear the duty that is a privilege, to stand by your side, to continue to accompany you even as the years pass, to keep the memory of your loved ones alive, to tell who they were and not just how they fell, and to ensure that their names and stories will forever be part of the story of the Kfir Brigade family and the story of the Israel Defense Forces family.
"In the face of our many security challenges, these days, between the end of the year and the beginning of the decade, are days of personal and national introspection. The upcoming Yom Kippur, the day of the signing of the law, calls on us to bridge the gaps and strengthen mutual responsibility, unity and cohesion in the people of Israel, for we all act as one community. We are a strong, unbreakable and victorious people."
From the words of the commander of the Kfir Brigade, Lieutenant Colonel Eyal Cohen: "The name of each fallen soldier is engraved on the wall of the brigade's memorial for eternity. The legacy of the fallen is a compass by whose light we march through the last three years of the war and throughout the years of the brigade since its establishment. Every day we fight to ensure the security of the country and its residents, and to be worthy of the memory of those who are not standing here with us today."
Today, almost twenty-one years after the brigade's establishment, we are writing another chapter in its history: for the first time, the brigade's fighters are maneuvering under the brigade combat team in Lebanon as well, alongside the continuation of the missions and complex fighting in all sectors. The Kfir Brigade was established in 2005. Since then, the brigade has changed its face, the fighting sectors have expanded and the missions have become more complex. But amidst all these changes, some things have remained the same: the bravery, the brotherhood of the fighters, the belief in the righteousness of the path, adherence to the mission and the striving for victory in every encounter with the enemy.
"And alongside all of this, it is our responsibility to remember those who served in our ranks and fell, to tell their stories and to be worthy of the legacy they left behind."
