Jewish Federations are relieved that, after more than eleven long years in Gaza, the body of IDF Lt. Hadar Goldin has finally been returned home to Israel. Lt. Goldin was just 23 years old when he was killed by Hamas terrorists and his body abducted on August 1, 2014 – only an hour after a UN- and U.S.-brokered 72-hour ceasefire was set to take effect during Operation Protective Edge.
 

For more than a decade, the Goldin family has lived with unbearable uncertainty, sustained by their faith, resilience, and the unshakable hope that Hadar would one day be brought home.
 

The return of Lt. Goldin’s body is a moment of both deep sorrow and long-awaited relief. It allows his parents Simcha and Leah and his twin brother Tzur to finally lay him to rest in the land he so proudly defended.

 

Jewish Federations pray that this long-overdue homecoming brings comfort to the Goldin family and to all Israelis who share in their pain. May the memory of Lt. Goldin forever be a blessing and an enduring reminder of courage, sacrifice, and faith. We also continue to pray for the families of the four hostages whose remains are still in Gaza and are hopeful that their loved ones are returned soon to Israel.