Family and friends of Omer Neutra, the 22-year-old member of the Israel Defense Forces whose death was confirmed this week, commemorated him in a memorial service on Tuesday at the Midway Jewish Center in Syosset, N.Y.
His mother-turned-activist, Orna Neutra, said after 14 months of believing that her son could still be alive as a hostage in the Gaza Strip: “Now things are clear, but not as we hoped.”
She called her son’s absence “a big hole in my stomach,” adding “our beautiful Omer, so much love and goodness and chesed were committed in your name.”
Omer’s brother, Daniel, said “you were my best friend, you made me who I am, thank you for everything. Laila tov.” In Hebrew, that means “good night.”
Rabbi Elizabeth Zeller of Temple Chaverim said “we believed one thing and came to find out it’s another, and that’s so much of the difficulty that we’re having to process.”
“To know that this whole time we were hoping and praying only to have that really shattered ... ,” she added.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul attended the service and spoke privately with the family. Both U.S. President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump sent their condolences as well.
