At the Request of Bereaved Families: The Fallen Soldiers’ Torah Scroll Reaches Dozens of Communities in the U.S., Where Letters Were Written in Memory of Israel’s Heroes.
The Ot Chaim initiative, which has become Israel’s national memorial project, embarked on a historic journey across the United States to connect Jewish communities with the pain and resilience of bereaved families.
For three weeks, the initiative’s team, led by the founders of the Ot Chaim – Illuminating the Memory of the Fallen organization, Adiel Toledano and Netanel Peretz, toured Florida and California, bringing the Torah scroll of the fallen heroes to dozens of Jewish communities. These communities responded with deep emotion, joining in the sacred act of writing letters in the Torah in memory of Israel’s fallen.
The journey to the U.S. was born from the grief of bereaved families who expressed a desire to involve Jews in the Diaspora in the memorial effort, which has become a symbol of unity and hope. Indeed, Jewish communities across the U.S. participated in the Torah writing project.
“We receive thousands of messages from families who have lost their loved ones, and they all tell us that this initiative gives them strength to cope with their pain,” say Adiel Toledano and Netanel Peretz, the project’s founders. “That’s why we knew we had to bring the Torah scroll to American Jews as well, so they could feel part of something greater – a bond that strengthens us as one people.”
At the heart of the initiative is a special Torah scroll encased in pure silver, engraved with the names of all the fallen and murdered since Simchat Torah. Next to each name, a golden flame and a precious stone resembling a memorial candle serve as a symbol of continuity and eternal remembrance.
During the U.S. tour, deeply moving events took place in which members of the communities wrote letters in the Torah, each letter dedicated to the memory of a fallen hero. “It was a powerful sight,” says Josh Miller, a Miami resident. “We are here in America, but we felt closer to Israel than ever before. The trembling hand writing a letter – that hand is connected to the beating heart of the Jewish people.”
“The bond between Diaspora Jews and Israel is deep and unbreakable,” said a local rabbi. “This initiative strengthens us, gives us a sense of partnership, and reminds us that we are one nation.”
Beyond the Torah writing, the Ot Chaim initiative aims to be a home for bereaved families. “These families are going through the hardest days of their lives,” say Adiel Toledano and Netanel Peretz. “We want to be their support – not just now, but for years to come. On holidays, Shabbatot, and birthdays of the fallen – we will be there to embrace and give them strength.”
What began as a response to profound grief has transformed into a movement of light and unity, connecting all parts of the Jewish people – religious and secular, young and old. The U.S. journey highlighted how shared pain also fosters shared strength, hope, and faith, continuing to lead the Jewish people forward.
This article was written in cooperation with Shuva Israel