There are many important things to write about today. The threat of little Hitler wannabee Erdogan to invade Israel, and how Turkey needs to be kicked out of NATO. The emptying out of Lebanon as they await Israel’s reprisal, and how the fear that is gripping them is a good thing, and how we should prolong it.  The shooting of missiles in Gaza from the very heart of the humanitarian zone by Hamas, and thus Israel’s warning to Gazans to move yet again because we will shoot them back. The misery this is causing and how Hamas has no heart at all, the way Hezbollah has no heart at all, no love for families, for children, for women, for the elderly. And how the world has opened up its doors to these people who now live in their midst and will do everything in their power to turn the West into a Sharia-compliant hell on earth.

But instead of getting into any of that, I’d like to talk about one of our fallen soldiers. I don’t often write about the young men in the IDF who have sacrificed their lives. It is just too painful. But journalist Amit Segal writes about them everyday. Here is a letter sent to Amit from the sister of Capt. Mordechai Kadmon.  I think everyone should read it. I think everyone should allow their heart to break for Mordechai, the beloved “Motti” of his family, his family and for every other IDF soldier who has given his precious life for ours. Read this, and multiply by 687, the number of IDF soldiers who have fallen since October 7.

“Dear Amit,

My name is Hodia Rifkin, the older sister of Capt. Mordechai Kadmon who fell in Gaza at the beginning of the week.

I would be happy if you would allow us a platform to tell a little about our great loss.

My brother Mordechai, or as we called him at home – Motti – was a walking cliché.

When they asked me at shiva what kind of person he was, I say this: ‘Take all you like in every person you love and you will get the whole that was my brother.’

He was a man of total action. Both at home and in the army.

He gave his all to the young soldiers he commanded, who he called ‘my chicks.’

We were told by his soldiers that he was able to give a disciplinary punishment to a soldier, and then sit with him for three hours into the night to explain to him the considerations behind the punishment and how it would only advance him.

The grandparents of a lone soldier that we didn’t know existed in my brother’s unit arrived at our home. They burst into tears and said they didn’t know how to continue, he cared for their grandson to the extent that he was in close contact with his parents in Florida.

He demanded so much from himself, and therefore also from his soldiers. His commanders said that he had the best and most serious unit. During advanced training, there was a need for a platoon to go into combat in Gaza, and they chose Kadmon’s platoon, because they trusted it a lot, and many officers came out of it.

All this was the his soldier’s background, but to me he was my little brother, my daughters’ uncle Kiki, and the son of my heroic parents.

He could return from long weeks of fighting tired and dirty. But on Friday morning, instead of flopping into bed, he would change his clothes and go down to wash the floors and prepare food.

He was an amazing uncle who was so proud of his nieces, invested in them, spent hours with them full of meaningful experiences. Thanks to this, we feel we were privileged to open a small window into what he could have been like as a father.

He was his mother’s son. After 4 years in the IDF he decided to leave, even though he really liked being in the army and the uniform and the flag, because “I pity your heart, mother.”

My sweet little brother fell a week and a half before his final departure from Gaza, and 3 weeks before his release into civilian life.

He was my little brother but he was the protector of all of you. He went in to serve his people and his country. He was immensely proud of his contribution to defeating the terrorists in the Gaza Strip and the protection of our country.

He fell in Rafah on July 22, 2024, 17 Tammuz

Hero of Israel, forever twenty-three years old.”

Captain Mordechai Kadmon, Z”L, hesder yeshiva boy who gave his life for his people. He will never, ever be forgotten. May his family be blessed and know no more sorrow.

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