The sister of a fallen IDF soldier named her firstborn son after her brother, in a moving ceremony in Jerusalem.
Shira Jino, sister of fallen IDF soldier Yehonatan Elias, on Wednesday named her newborn son after her brother: David Yehonatan. The infant is the first grandchild in the family, adding to the significance of the event.
Shlomit Elias, Yehonatan's mother, shared with Israel National News - Arutz Sheva, "We were insanely emotional, it's a huge mix of emotions - sadness and happiness mixed together, closure, 'in our blood shall you live' (a quote from the Passover hagaddah - ed.)."
Shlomit explained the significance behind the infant's name: "David Yehonatan - named after his uncle, Yehonatan. The name Yehonatan (Jonathan - ed.), like the name David, is not just the name of his fallen uncle, but also an expression of the great love which continues throughout the generations. David is the father of our Yehonatan; in the Prophets it mentions the great love Yehonatan had for King David."
The event was a sort of closure, with David, the grandfather, serving as "sandak" - a powerfully moving moment in which the names Yehonatan and David met as if for the first time.
Shlomit added, "We felt that it was a sort of mission which was given to us - in this difficult year, G-d sent us great light and happiness, and a gift which makes us very happy. We merited to marry off our oldest daughter, Yuval, one month ago, and in this year, with all of the difficulties and pain, we merited to build another home in Israel, and receive new life as well."
Elias, 20, fought in the Givati Brigade and fell in battle in southern Gaza last May.