Torah Scroll Dedicated in Samaria to Fallen Border Police Officer Ran Gavili

A Torah scroll dedication ceremony was held Tuesday in the settlement of Tzofim in the Samaria region, honoring the memory of Border Police officer Sergeant Major Ran Gavili, who was killed in the line of duty. The event also commemorated Simcha Berel Belsky.

The Torah scroll was donated by Abraham and Sarah Belsky of the United States. Attendees included Gavili's parents, Tali and Itzik Gavili, Head of the Samaria Regional Council Yossi Dagan, residents of Tzofim, the donors, and others.

During the ceremony, Yossi Dagan stated, "We thank you for honoring us not only with the donation of the scroll but for bringing his precious soul, your soul, to be part of the settlement in Samaria." He expressed gratitude to Gavili's parents for allowing their "hero of Israel" to be memorialized, noting that the scroll would be studied and read in his memory. Dagan emphasized that despite recent difficulties, "more homes are being built here, more Jewish families are coming to live here, and more lights are being lit." He pledged to continue building Samaria and the Land of Israel, establishing more settlements, and celebrating Torah, the land, and the people.

Ran Gavili's mother, Tali Gavili, shared her emotion, saying, "What a joy to be here, what pride, what excitement. We came from the south to see your amazing settlement. Know that we are truly such a strong and dear people." She expressed feeling as if she were marrying off her son and thanked the Belsky family for the "great hug."

His father, Itzik Gavili, added, "We are excited to be here. This is so moving for us. The Torah scroll, we met you in Miami, thank you very much. This is not a given. Thank you, thank you, and may you have a happy holiday and much joy."

Sarah Belsky, the donor, called it "a great honor for our family to share this dedication with the Gavili family." She described the profound pain of loss but also the immense support received, recounting stories of Gavili's kindness, charity, and work ethic, calling him a "hidden righteous man" who, like Ran, "jumped to the south and saved lives."

Dov Shlomoivitz, chairman of the Tzofim settlement secretariat, stated it was a "great merit for the Tzofim settlement to host and receive a Torah scroll in the name of Ran Gavili, may his memory be a blessing," thanking the donors and emphasizing that "in their death, they commanded us life; we are turning them into blessings."