Lighting a torch in honor of fallen lone soldiers
Lighting a torch in honor of fallen lone soldiers\The Jewish Agency for Israel

Marking the sacrifices made by lone soldiers who were killed or injured in war and terror attacks, the Jewish Agency for Israel had a torch lighting ceremony in their memory.

Accompanying Jewish Agency Chairman Yitzhak Herzog was lone soldier and San Diego native Ori Hamo, who was injured in February in a car-ramming attack in Jerusalem.

“Today, I bow my head in tribute to the Jews around the world who have demonstrated valor and dedication in their decision to enlist in the IDF as lone soldiers,” Herzog said during Tuesday’s ceremony which took place in the Jewish Agency courtyard in Jerusalem. “These new immigrants came here alone, without their fathers and mothers, and sacrificed their lives for our homeland.”

“We also,” he added, “remember those Jews who perished in terror attacks around the world. Sadly, this year we saw a worrying increase in anti-Semitism. There are not ordinary times and the dark cloud of Jew-hatred seems to follow us everywhere.”

The ceremony was broadcast live on Facebook and held without an audience due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“There were many before me who paid the heaviest price and it is in their memory we are here today,” Hamo said at the ceremony. “These are soldiers who never had the chance to live the rest of their lives, who did not create a home and family of their own, and sacrificed everything for their homeland so Israel’s children could flourish. On this day, we remember them and every other Jew whose life was abruptly and violently taken away.”