"Arbeli, our brother,

Just this past Wednesday we spoke with you, you told us about your weekend experiences and 24 hours later we are sitting in your yard, not believing that you are not here with us...

It is hard to believe that we won't have any more "Cuervo" Tequilas at Shperver's house, no more coffee along some stream that you dragged us to or we won't hear your rolling laughter anymore.

We went through everything together, from the kindergarten to the army, you were always there, looking after us, our Polish mother.
As a little boy you would always be with a basketball in your hand and new shoes from America.
How is it that we will no longer smell that special fragrance of "Jango" your dog, that you loved so much, and you will not be there to declare, "This is the best odor in the world!?"

Who will make us watch "Eskimo Lemon" and "Charley Vachetzi" on the contention that it is a classic and a quality film? Now we will have to fess up and say that we loved, loved it all…

Arbeli, you always wanted to be a hero, to be the first. For you the army was the peak of your aspirations, already from a young age, you dreamed of going far and giving of yourself as much as you could.

We remember you every Friday at Iris' house, telling us stories about the army with a giant smile wiped across your face, proud of all the sores and pains you managed to accumulate in all of your strange and unique ways. That's how you were in your life, always the first one, always giving of yourself for others. At least we can take solace in the fact that you ended your life in the manner in which you believed in, as a hero.

Now though many things remain open. Who will build the ranch that we all dreamed about? Who will travel the world with us after the army? Dreaming for us all of the big dreams?

Where will you be when all of us "rags" get discharged from the army? Where will we sit on the second evening of Passover? When all of us get married?

Arbeli, we will always remember that last picture of you, the good looking guy with the polo t-shirt from our last evening together. Arbeli, you were like a brother to us and now that you are not among us, we promise that your family will be our family.

Arbeli, we love you, you were everything and more for us.

Loving you and remembering always,

The Yuvalim kids, minus one".

The Reich family lost a beloved son. Misgav has lost one of their best, a student at the regional high school, an athlete- a basketball player who played on the local team, a musician, a drummer in a band at the local community center, a young man who always touched everyone with his sensitivity, joy and mischievousness, wise and involved in the community, a social magnet, ready to volunteer for every task.

It is with this spirit of volunteerism, instilled with the knowledge that this is the right thing to do for this country, its trails he lovingly traversed, volunteered for an elite army unit, the Givati Brigade's Recon Unit, and in battle against terrorists met his heroic death, at the age of 21 years old. In the hearts of all who cherish him, he will remain young and special and beloved, forever…

May he rest in peace and his memory be blessed!