Eleven months after he was shot to death on Givat Assaf, a memorial service was held last weekend in memory of First Sergeant Yuval Mor-Yosef. Yuval served in the Netzah Yehuda battalion in the Kfir Brigade. He was murdered, along with his friend Sergeant Joseph Cohen, while guarding the bus stop at the entrance to Givat Asaf. A Palestinian terrorist got out of a vehicle that stopped, fired, and fled.
The memorial ceremony was attended by Chief Rabbi David Lau, Commander of the Kfir Brigade Colonel Eran Oriel, Commander of the Netzah Yehuda Battalion Lieutenant Colonel Nitai Okashi, Executive Director of the Netzah Yehuda Association - Yossi Levy, Rabbi of Netzah Yehuda Yitzhak Bar Haim, and Yuval's friends and family.
Yuval’s father, Moti Mor Yosef, shared his pain, "If father losing his son, how can such a thing be summed up? The most difficult moments we experience, are Thursdays when he doesn't come home... My pride is no longer in my son's proficiency at reading the Torah, his devotion to his friends. No day is not hard. But the hardest moment I had this year was Simchat Torah, when finishing the round of Torah readings, Yuval would always remain last, he would call all the little children, take them, spread a prayer shawl and bless them. This time it was heart wrenching - It’s what Yuval has been doing for 7 years since he was 13."
Yuval's family continues to commemorate him in the ways he was used to acting. They set up the "Hasdei Yuval" food distribution for needy families and children with special needs, they hold a tefillin wrapping on Fridays in Ashkelon, and more. According to Yuval's father, "I am asked how to cope and how to get past bereavement, I have no answer to that, but I know I do not have many choices. You can't give up, I have the girls. We try hard to go on and commemorate Yuval as much as possible. We established a Beit Midrash called "Mishkan Yuval", we donated a Torah scroll in Moshav Nehalim and opened a club for children with special needs called "Yuval's place".
Rabbi Yitzchak Bar Haim spoke through tears, "Yuval was a man of kindness who affected his entire environment, his friends now see his parents' tremendous work in his memory."
Chief Rabbi of Israel Rabbi David Lau spoke, saying: "Yuval of blessed memory was beloved by all, everyone he met got a good word or help with what was needed. Yuval's good and special qualities were reflected in every aspect of his conduct both in the military and at home. He always made sure to help and give of himself to everyone, especially his sisters to whom he was especially devoted. For eleven months Yuval has not been with us, but his good deeds and contribution to the people of Israel will never be forgotten."
