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A Gift of Hundreds and

Hundreds of Years

Rabbi Shlomo Weitzen

On the morning of the attack, a critical line of defense against Hamas were the ‘kitot konenut’,
the local security teams, in each of the many kibbutzim. In Kerem Shalom, a mixed religious and
secular kibbutz, the 200 residents were saved by the brave actions of their kitat konenut. Tragically,
two members of the team were killed. Rabbi Shlomo Weitzen’s words, in memory of his son
Amichai, moved the nation, providing deeply powerful chizuk just days after the tragedy.

am the father of Amichai Weitzen, We thought, perhaps, that we were
who has lived in Kerem Shalom for weak and had no strength. But sud-
six years. On Shabbat morning the denly it became crystal clear: we have
sir
I en sounded. The terrorists began great powers! We fight like lions! We are
to attack the settlement, and the people of wounded, but like a wounded lion, we
the alert squad immediately jumped and shall rise! We will once again find strength
fought like lions for six full hours. and joy!
They fought, and our son Amichai fought I call on everyone to believe in our power,
along with them. Amichai and his friend to believe in our strength. We will emerge
Yedidya – both originally from the settle- from these painful hours far greater than
ment of Psagot, a settlement in which I when we entered them.
serve as a rabbi – fell in this battle.
War can sometimes do what other days
While Amichai left us at the age of 33, on cannot. We do not want war, but if we are
the last day of his life he received as a gift destined for war – the war will deliver us Amichai Weitzen hy”d (PHOTO: COURTESY)
many, many more years of life. He saved anew! A nation is created! A people is And we send you our blessing: We gave
all the families of the village of Kerem reborn! our most precious gift for the People of
Shalom. One cannot know how many Israel. We pray that all of you will return
years of life he saved. All of these years – We will start with a new foot, the right in peace and health, and that we will soon
may all of his friends and all of his families foot, after we defeat these savage enemies. see better times.
live many more years – and all the years of For we now understand who we were deal-
all their descendants, and all descendants ing with.
of their descendants! All around me, I see – everyone is waking
We were blessed with a precious son who up! There is so much strength!
is now 33 years old – plus hundreds of To all the security forces, to all the fight-
hundreds of years!
ers, I say: Be strong! Have no fear! Do
We are now in a time of war. Our enemies not worry! For if we are afraid – we will
have wounded us and hurt us. But we feel suffer even more. Due to your bravery, the Rabbi Shlomo Weitzen
that there is so much strength, strength entire world will finally see what really is the Rav of Psagot and a
Ra”m at Yeshivat Beit El.
to cope! lies within our special nation.

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