Deep sorrow descended on Beit She’an Thursday as hundreds gathered to accompany Sergeant First Class Tuvia Lipschitz Hy”d, a Golani Brigade soldier who was killed in battle in southern Lebanon on Erev Yom Tov, to his final resting place.
Family members, friends, and fellow soldiers came in large numbers to pay their last respects and escort him on his final journey at the city’s cemetery.
His mother, Shadmit Hodaya, delivered a tearful hesped at the fresh kever, saying: “Tovi, we walked with you the entire way. We tried to teach values and good middos, and you absorbed everything. But you should know, the choices were yours, the strengths were yours, and the bravery is all yours. Everything is yours, Tovi. Tov El Yosef, just like your name, it fits you so precisely. Your entire being was good.”
Through tears, she continued: “We stand here with broken hearts, struggling to grasp the magnitude of the loss, and we part from you, a beloved and pure child.”
The deputy commander of the Golani Brigade, Lt. Col. Naor Amichai, also spoke, saying: “Tuvia was a beloved son, a remarkable brother, a true friend, and a courageous and devoted soldier. He insisted on joining the Golani Brigade, continuing the path of his father and brother, and enlisted in August 2024. After completing his training, he joined Battalion 13 and became a top-tier fighter, someone you could rely on with your eyes closed.”
The commander added: “Tuvia’s image will remain etched in the hearts of his friends and commanders. His courage and spirit will accompany us for many days to come.”
His older brother, Shilo, spoke with anguish, saying: “There are not enough words in the world to describe you. I failed in my role, to protect you, to guard you. We grew up together with only 11 months between us, my little brother. I cannot comprehend how this happened in our home. You used to tell Mom that there is a lot of work to do. You came home and the work was not finished—there is still much work. Dear Golani soldiers, finish the work.”
Another brother, Argaman, also delivered a hesped: “My big brother, something is missing in me, my brother. I am trying to walk in your path, to be strong, but I am broken. Broken from the fact that you are not here, from this void left in the family, that has opened in my heart. You always jumped in first—what a childhood we had together. I always knew my big brother would protect me. I will always be your younger brother and you will always be my big brother. You were a brother, a friend, full of life and strength.”
His sister, Rimon, parted from him with heartbreaking words: “Our Tovi, I never imagined you would return to us in a coffin. I promise that our family will stand back up on its feet, because that is what you would want. I know you are sitting close to the kisei hakavod and raising a l’chaim with all our malachim. You were better than all of us—Hashem truly takes the best.”
{Matzav.com}