Lieutenant Colonel Tomer Grinberg, the commander of the Golani Brigade's 13th Battalion, was laid to rest on Wednesday at the Mount Herzl Military Cemetary in Jerusalem.
Ashira, Grinberg's widow, eulogized him in tears: "Tomer, until now and still, you are a bit of everyone's, but for one moment, I want you to be my tomer. I had trouble finding the words; there is so much to say, so I chose to read you the letter I wrote for your birthday: 'Congratulations, my love, happy 35th birthday. Arbel asked that we celebrate her birthday before we celebrate yours; let's agree not to tell her that we celebrated yours first. Yesterday, she made you a drawing and a greeting with help from the babysitter, and she is so happy. I have so much to tell you and share with you. When everything is over, we will have all the time in the world. Together we will celebrate life and our joint decision to be together."
She continued to read: "On the radio, I dedicated a song 'Nothing Will Get Between Us' by Danny Sanderson, at first I thought to dedicate the Maccabi song to you, I imagined how you would laugh, but I didn't hold back and quickly chose Danny Sanderson. Your ability to stay cool and command others. Truly a figure that inspires, motivates, and gives confidence, first of all to your subordinates, but to the rest of the soldiers as well.
You are a champion and a role model, and I, your beloved wife, am full of pride to be the one fighting at your side. So instead of the Bereshit Hotel, I got the feeling of being overseas with sand and a beach and a bunch of brothers and a new family to celebrate with. After the war, we will celebrate with the immediate family."
The widow concluded: "Tomer, a golden bridge is paved on your heart that connects the two of us anywhere we go, in cold, storms, and rain, I am with you, forever."
Isaac Grinberg, Tomer's father, eulogized his son and, at the end of his words, asked to send a message: "I ask one thing as a bereaved father - Tomer had a Druze friend, the commander of the 53rd battalion, when he was a young soldier his commander was Druze. The Druze are our brothers, both in war and in peace. I am taking advantage of my privilege as a bereaved father to say this."