Yuval Urbach, the widow of Yishai Urbach, held an event on the completion the entire Mishnah in his memory at Midreshet Nishmat, in the presence of Rabbanit Chana Henkin and fellow students.
During the recitation of the "Hadran" prayer, Urbach was moved to tears, overwhelmed by pain and memory, as Rabbanit Henkin and another teacher supported.
The Mishnah study was undertaken collectively by all the students at the Nishmat, with Yuval among those who completed the learning.
Sergeant Yishai Elyakim Urbach, 20, from Zichron Ya'akov, a combat engineer in Battalion 605, fell during in battle in Gaza, leaving behind his young widow, Yuval.
The two were married just a few months earlier, before Urbach returned to Gaza with his unit to continue fighting as part of Operation Swords of Iron.
Rabbi Yoel Manovich, head of the Hesder Yeshiva in the Golan, eulogized his student: "Yishai was one of a kind, head and shoulders above all, and this was reflected in his personality. He was a young man with the character of someone twice his age, drawn to matters of depth and significance. He led every initiative and was a central figure in the Beit Midrash."
Rabbi Manovich continued: "He married Yuval at the end of the month of Tevet just recently. They were a sweet and pure couple. The pain is immense."
Urbach fell in an incident in the Gaza Strip during which his unit, along with a Golani reconnaissance force, was inside a building in Rafah. Hamas terrorists fired an RPG at the structure, causing it to collapse. He was killed on the spot, and two other soldiers were wounded.