Follow-up on our fallen neighbor, Dekel Swissa

A message I received after the previous article about our fallen friend Dekel Swissa has touched us all.

By Anat Schneider | | Topics: Gaza, Hamas
Childhood friends: My son Elad (l.) and Dekel (r.)

After the painful article about Dekel Swissa, I received many emails. This story touched all of our bleeding hearts. The heart that cannot contain the magnitude of this catastrophe.

One of the letters particularly touched me. It comes from a Jewish woman from the USA who is currently in Israel. Apparently she follows Israel Today’s English-language website.

She found me on Facebook and contacted me on Messenger.

And here is the whole message:

Hello Anat!

I can’t stop crying since I read your article about Dekel. I am his adoptive mother from Atlanta, USA. He lived with my family for 6 months before joining the army. I am here in Israel and Dekel visited us a week ago before this terrible war. My daughter lives here in Ramat Beit Shemesh and we were informed of his death by his friend Itai, who spent a year doing volunteer service with him in Atlanta. We have been crying for two days waiting for the news about the funeral. After reading your article, I thought that maybe we should go see Gila and Moshe, if only to hug them. Would that be okay? Is there already a date for the funeral? Is there something they need? Can we bring something with us? We are deeply shocked. No words, just tears. He was such a pure, sweet soul!

The news speaks for itself and shows what kind of person Dekel was, who, before being drafted, decided to make a contribution of his time and went to the USA for a year of volunteer service, where he lived with an adoptive family.

There he promoted Israel.

My son Elad, who is in the south, asked me to find photos of Dekel and the two of them together. I sat there all evening looking through all the photos I had and sending them to him.

He won’t be able to come to the funeral because the army won’t exempt him from his duty. That’s why he said goodbye to Dekel by making a collage of photos and writing a few farewell words.

The photo above shows so much about their friendship.

You Might Also Like
Load more
Members

Israel Today Membership

Read all member content. Access exclusive, in-depth reports from Israel! Free Zoom events. Connect with Israel right from your home! Raise a voice of truth and hope. Support Faith-based journalism in Jerusalem!

Monthly
Membership

$5
/ month
Full access to Israel Today's Member-only content on all Digital Platforms.
Become a Member

Yearly
Membership

$46
/ year
Full access to Israel Today's Member-only content on all Digital Platforms.
Save 18% Per Month.
Become a Member

Six Months
Membership

$28
every 6 months
Full access to Israel Today's Member-only content on all Digital Platforms.
Save 9% Per Month.
Become a Member
Israel Today comments guidelines Kommentar-Regeln

Leave a Reply

Israel Today Newsletter

Daily news

FREE to your inbox

Israel Heute Newsletter

Tägliche Nachrichten

KOSTENLOS in Ihrer Inbox

Subscribe to our Daily Newsletter