Yahalomi, Natanel Yehoshua
Netanel Yehoshua, son of Tova and Shmuel-Zvi Yahalomi, was born in 1992, in Bnei Brak. The name Netanel was given to him because his parents felt that he was a gift of G-d, and wanted to thank G-d for his birth. From childhood he was sharp, strove for truth, for justice, for perfection and thoroughness. Natanel loved the country and traveled with his friends and family throughout. In the twelfth grade he decided to study at the Ma’alot Ya’akov Hesder Yeshiva in Maalot, and Natanel greatly appreciated the serious atmosphere that prevailed in the yeshiva. He studied with the Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Yehoshua Weizmann, for a period of time. Even if he went to bed late, Natanel woke up early every morning to the Vatikin prayer. Natanel underwent basic training at the Shivta base and continued with his training comrades in an operational company. He also took the military service seriously. Even before he enlisted, he trained to maintain high physical fitness and he did everything by adhering to the values he believed in: giving, caring for others and learning Torah. On Friday, on the eve of Shabbat Shuva, fifteen terrorists infiltrated into the Har Harif area and were caught by the soldiers of the Karakal unit. Natanel and his friends were summoned to secure the force. Three terrorists, who followed them from a hidden section approached the nine fighters and opened fire. Natanel was the closest to the terrorists and the first to respond. He recognized the source of the fire and even before he could don his helmet, he began firing at them and killing them until he was killed by the shooting. Another soldier was wounded. The terrorists apparently planned an extensive killing campaign because they wore civilian clothes and carried many weapons. One of them carried a powerful explosive charge. Within fifteen minutes they were killed by the soldiers’ gunfire. The serious attack that was supposed to take place in Israeli territory was foiled. Netanel Yahalomi fell on the Egyptian border on 5 Tishrei, 21 September 2012. He was buried in the military cemetery in Modi’in, leaving behind his parents, three brothers and two sisters.
