The family of these five soldiers have donated their organs saving 25 lives. Below you can learn more about each soldier and the lives they saved. We hope and pray for no further Israeli casualties.

Shoham Ben Harush z”l

Shoham Ben Harush was a 20-year-old soldier from Hispin who donated five organs after his death. A 48-year-old received a heart transplant, a 59-year-old received a cornea transplant, a 61-year-old received a liver transplant, and a 69-year-old and a 57 year-old received kidney transplants. Shoham’s father said, “The knowledge that he saved lives provides comfort alongside the great pain.”

Rabbi Na’aran Eshchar z”l

Rabbi Eshchar was a 33-year-old soldier and father of two from Shadmot Mehola who donated four organs posthumously. Four months ago, he altruistically donated a kidney to a stranger. A 59-year-old man received a heart transplant; a 72-year-old man received lungs; a 67-year-old man received a liver transplant; and a 43-year-old man received a kidney transplant. The Israeli poet Tzur Ehrlich wrote a poem “The Short Story” about the message that Rabbi Eshchar’s wife sent to let family and friends know that he had merited to donate his second kidney. The poem can be read here in Hebrew.

Yehonatan Samo z”l

Yehonatan Samo was a 20-year-old soldier from Karmei Tzur whose family donated six of his organs after his death. He had previously signed an Adi card through the Israeli organ donor registry. A 46-year-old received a heart transplant; a 36-year-old received lungs; a 51-year-old received a liver transplant; a 8-month-old baby girl received a liver transplant; a 10-year-old received a kidney transplant; and a 50-year-old received a kidney transplant. Yehonatan’s family said, “The fact that a part of him will continue to live and help others… there is nothing more uplifting than that. Thanks to his example, many others signed organ donation cards during the shiva period, and more will do so.”

Roi Nahari z”l and Amichai Rubin z”l

To read about Roi Nahari z”l and Amichai Rubin z”l, who each saved five lives posthumously, please read this blog post.