Memorial Held for Fallen Soldier After 44 Years of Uncertainty

A memorial service and Torah study session was held for Yehuda Katz, who fell in the Battle of Sultan Yacob, 44 years after his disappearance. The event took place during the Days of Mercy and Forgiveness, near Yom Kippur, and marked 30 days since the return of his remains for burial. The gathering was a spontaneous initiative by his friends from various stages of his life, who had maintained hope for his return for decades.

The event was hosted by Professor Zehava Gross and attended by dozens of friends from his elementary school, Bnei Akiva youth group, and yeshiva studies. The leadership and resilience of his parents, Yosef and Sarah Katz, who passed away during the intervening years, and his siblings Avi and Parchiha Heyman, were highlighted. They had tirelessly advocated to keep Yehuda's memory alive in the public consciousness.

Friends shared poignant memories. Attorney Yehuda Kaplan, who knew Katz from kindergarten through military service and was with him in the tank during the battle, described Katz's transformation from a vibrant athlete to a diligent Torah scholar at Kerem Yavne Yeshiva. He noted Katz's deep commitment to his studies and his belief in the concept of a "mitzvah war."

The main lecture was delivered by Rabbi Shlomo Shoshan, head of the Beit She'an Yeshiva, who shared memories from their military training and the late Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Goldwirt's grief upon learning of Katz's death. A particularly moving moment involved the "leadership notes" found in Katz's shirt pocket, detailing his personal commitments such as daily Psalms, avoiding idle talk, and daily immersion in a mikvah on Friday mornings. The family and friends urged the public to adopt one of these practices in his memory.

Rabbi Shlomo Moses, a former youth leader, concluded by praising Katz's unique blend of "human normality and exceptional spiritual elevation."