Written by Hadassah Ben Ari
Translated by Rivkah Ben-Yisrael
Edited by Juliana Brown
“Do you remember what we talked about today?” Erez Berkowitz, a team commander in the Givati Reconnaissance Company, asked his soldiers in the middle of their beret march, a trek that all IDF combat soldiers undergo, at the end of which they receive a beret with a distinctive color that reflects their corps or brigade, ending an important chapter in their training.
“We said that this is not the time to mourn; this is the time to win,” he said at the most challenging stage of the hike, when every commander wants to encourage his soldiers. He could no longer hide the secret that he had been keeping for the past few hours.
“Before we set out on our march, I was informed that my older brother was killed in Gaza. I embarked on this beret hike with you all because my brother would have wanted us to do it, to do it with a smile, as we choose life and action.” Erez chose to lead his soldiers, the new generation of warriors, in the steps of his brother Eyal.
“He would have wanted us to smile because that’s what he was like. I remember his jokes and the happy atmosphere at our Shabbat table. It’s an important trait for a team of warriors and the entire people of Israel.”
Eyal was highly talented. He was a medical student, as well as an illustrator of comics and books. “You had every reason to brag, but you never let it blind you.” his parents said of him. Occasionally, he would accompany young people suffering from physical disabilities on weekends full of fun. Once, one of his friends called him up to ask him to cheer him up when he was sick. Eyal took him to the desert and drew him against the background of the mountains. After that, they wrote a song together.
He had another unique talent: that of silence. He was not much of a talker. Every word of his was golden. Although he was very knowledgeable, he didn’t try to impress others. Instead, he tried to make people laugh: “My hobbies: Going to a restaurant, ordering an omelet and chicken, and seeing what comes first: the chicken or the egg?” Another example: “I hate people who deliberate over nonsense. Or maybe I don’t hate them? I don’t know.”
Eyal fell in battle in Gaza while on a mission filled with value, caring for the lives of soldiers and other citizens. His mother, Rikki, finds comfort in his heroism, encouraging us all: “We should merit to be worthy, continue in their ways, and be good people.”
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