A Torah scroll was dedicated this week at the Bnei Akiva Bar Kokhba branch in Yeruham in memory of the late Captain Itai Seif, a platoon commander in the Givati Brigade who was killed during fighting in northern Gaza.
Seif was killed when a powerful explosive device detonated inside a booby-trapped building in the Zaytoun neighborhood. He was known as a central and influential figure who served as an instructor and carried out every responsibility with humility and quiet dedication.
Following his death, members of the branch decided to honor his memory through the writing of a Torah scroll that would remain in use by branch participants. Members of the community joined together to help complete the project and prepare the scroll for dedication.
Although the ceremony was originally scheduled earlier, it was postponed following the outbreak of Operation Roaring Lion. The event ultimately took place this week with the participation of hundreds of branch members, alumni, local residents and relatives.
The ceremony began at the Seif family home with the completion of the final letters of the Torah scroll, before continuing in a festive procession accompanied by singing and dancing on the way to the branch. A celebratory meal was later held at the branch.
Shilat Sharon, community coordinator of the Bnei Akiva Bar Kokhba branch in Yeruham, said Itai was “a figure admired by both the trainees and the instructors, combining humility with inner strength."
“When we decided to write the Torah scroll, it was immediately clear that this would be a project belonging to the entire community," she added.
Rami Seif, Itai’s father, said his son “grew up within these walls and absorbed here the values of Torah and mission that later guided him on the battlefield."
“To see hundreds of people coming to honor him, alongside a Torah scroll written with such love, gives us tremendous strength and shows how deeply Itai touched so many lives," he said.
