Sharing Israel with the world through my lens
A Soldier’s Sacrifice, A Family Reunited
A few weeks ago, Gideon Hanghal z”l, an IDF soldier from the Bnei Menashe community, was brutally murdered in a terrorist attack. He was the first Bnei Menashe soldier to die in the line of duty.
As someone who has spent years working closely with the Bnei Menashe, attending their arrivals when they make aliyah to Israel and capturing so many of their special moments through photography, this loss hit me particularly hard.
I had been there for their joyous occasions—celebrations of new beginnings, including Gideon’s own arrival in Israel —and now I found myself photographing something I never thought I would: a funeral.
It was a painful experience, especially knowing that the soldier’s brother, along with his wife and children, were still in India. They had been unable to make aliyah due to bureaucratic hurdles, and now, in their grief, they couldn’t even be with the rest of their family in Israel. It was heartbreaking to see his parents and two sisters grieving, knowing that part of their family was so far away.
But in the midst of the sorrow, something incredible happened. Through the combined efforts of the Israeli government, the IDF, the Interior Ministry, the Ministry of Absorption, and Shavei Israel (where I work), the soldier’s brother and his family were granted an emergency aliyah. This morning, they arrived in Israel, and I was there with Gideon’s parents, his two sisters, and other close family and friends, waiting for them at the airport.
The moment they walked through the gates was overwhelmingly emotional. It was a bittersweet reunion—filled with both the joy of their arrival and the deep sadness of their loss. But in that moment, there was also healing, knowing that this family, torn apart by tragedy, was finally reunited.
Being there to witness this was incredibly moving, and I felt grateful to be a part of this chapter in their lives.
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