Jerusalem, Israel - Dec. 14, 2018 - On Thursday, two young soldiers, Sgt. Yosef Cohen z"l and Staff Sgt. Yovel Mor Yosef z"l, members of the Kfir Brigade in the Netzah Yehuda infantry battalion, the unit for ultra-Orthodox soldiers, were shot and killed.

Friday morning in Yerushalayim, the sun was shining, and tears were flowing, as hundreds of mourners, family and friends, haredim and IDF soldiers, men and women who did not know the fallen soldier, crowded into the Shamgar Funeral Home.

Rabbi Eliyahu Merav, eulogized his stepson with tearful words, as the women listened from behind a mechitza of international cameras recording the hespidim of the emotional funeral.  Cohen's z"l bereaved mother was called forward at the conclusion of the service to bid a last, sad farewell to her son.

Also called to speak was Jerusalem Chief Sephardi Rabbi Shlomo Amar who offered words of comfort, along with yeshiva and army eulogies. 

Mourners of the 19-year-old Beit Shemesh resident, included Jerusalem Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi Aryeh Stern, Deputy Defense Minister Eli Ben Dahan, MKs Moti Yogev and Oren Hazan, Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion and Beit Shemesh Mayor Aliza Bloch. 

 

From Yerushalayim the funeral possession of Yosef Cohen Z"l proceeded to Har HaZaytim, for burial in the Bratslav section of the Mount of Olives cemetery.