In a post published on Facebook, Doron Gilboa, the father of a special needs child and resident of Beit El, wrote about David Yehuda Yitzhak's treatment of his son. Yehuda Yitzhak was killed last night during the IDF operation in Jenin.
"I woke up to an unanticipated morning," the father wrote. "An IDF report said a soldier was killed in Jenin. His name sounded familiar to me."
He later described his feelings: "I try to control my feelings, but this is David, the son of Moshe and Amona Yitzhak, and the brother of Noa, a friend of Michal's... But for us, he was our son Elkanah's mentor.
"According to the best of my recollection, it began during his pre-military training period and before the draft. Every Saturday afternoon he would spend a few hours of his day with our son. And when my wife fell ill and was hospitalized for a long time, David recommended that Elkanah join a youth movement for special needs children. I deeply appreciated his maturity and responsibility in knowing how to really help Elkanah.
"During the mentoring period, the love and respect he showed to Elkanah, the regular meetings...even when he was serving in the army, he would come by to spend time with the young boy without hesitating for a moment.
"I remember myself as a combat soldier and ponder whether I would have been able to think of another person despite having to take a leave from the army to even reach him."
At the end of the post he wrote: "And so we would receive messages on Fridays: 'I'm here' or 'I'm on my way.' David, we didn't have time to tell you how much we appreciated you and how significant you were to our son Elkanah. It was really hard and sad to tell him the news this morning before he left for the bus."
"Much of what has helped him in recent years is thanks to you. Thank you David Yitzhak H"yd. You were killed as a heroic soldier, but you were also a young man full of goodness and kindness who simply inspired others. May G-d avenge your blood."