The adoptive family of IDF soldier Private Dan Philipson is asking the public to attend his funeral and pay their last respects at 15:00 at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem.
Philipson, an 18-year-old lone soldier from Norway, passed away unexpectedly during his IDF service while undergoing training with the Paratroopers Brigade.
Dan was born and raised in Oslo, and already in high school dreamed of making Aliyah and enlisting in the IDF. Less than a year ago, he fulfilled that dream, immigrated to Israel, and joined the army through the Mahal program. After three months of Hebrew studies at Michve Alon base, he was assigned to the 202nd Battalion of the Paratroopers Brigade.
His adoptive family shared that during training he stood out as a disciplined, outstanding soldier who was well-liked by his peers. He lived at Kibbutz Be'erot Yitzhak as part of the “Reut” program for lone soldiers, where he was surrounded by a supportive environment.
A local family adopted him and supported him through Shabbat meals, holidays, challenging times, and at his swearing-in ceremony at the Western Wall. “Dan passed away prematurely during his training,” the family said.
The family has asked that “people come to honor Dan on his final journey.”
Soldiers and their family members in need of emotional support are encouraged to contact the ERAN support organization at *2201, messaging via WhatsApp at 052-8451201, or visiting their website.
