The family of these eleven soldiers have donated their organs saving 48 lives. Below you can learn more about each soldier and the lives they saved. We hope and pray for no further Israeli casualties.

Additionally, numerous other soldiers families agreed to tissue donations including: corneas, skin, heart valves, bones and tendons. Their heroic donations inspired many other families and the percent of families agreeing to organ donation after October 7th, increased to 85%. The overall number of individuals signing organ donation cards also increased dramatically. You can read more about the National Transplant Center 2023 report here.

Dor Zimel z”l

Dor Zimel was a 27-year-old soldier from Even Yehuda who saved five lives after his death. A 57-year-old received a heart transplant, a 24-year-old received lungs, a 68-year-old received a liver and kidney transplant, a 8-month-old received a liver lobe, and a 58-year-old received a kidney transplant. His family honored his wishes, as he had previously registered as an organ donor. Dr. Levy, who performed the lung transplant, said “In every transplant, we see the new lives given to the patient, but we can never ignore the story behind the lungs. It was a night fluctuating between a lot of pain and optimism. We’ve been on this path for several good months. On the eve of Passover, alongside the hole in the heart and the empty chair for the fallen, comes the news that we saved another life in Israel.”

Sivan Weil z”l

Sivan Weil was a 20-year-old soldier from Ra’anana who donated six organs after his death. A 45-year-old received a heart transplant, a 37-year-old received lungs, a 40-year-old received a liver transplant, a 66-year-old received a kidney transplant, and a 48-year-old received a kidney and pancreas transplant. His parents shared “We hope that donating his organs will save more lives and perpetuate the memory of our angel.”

Ori Gerby z”l

Ori Gerby was a 20-year-old soldier from Herziliya who donated two organs after his death. A 6-year-old received a kidney transplant, and a 1 1/2 year old received a liver transplant. His mother, Naami Mor, shared “Hopefully no one will be in our position, but if it happens, we must allow organ donation. And that’s a huge thing. We hope that Uri’s donation will ensure a good life {for the donor}, this is exactly Uri’s legacy. We merited to have him, and he merited in his death to save lives.”

Rebecca Baruch z”l

Rebecca Baruch was a 24-year-old lone soldier from Holland who saved four lives after her death. Her father, Robbert Baruch, posted on Facebook “Whilst today is one of the saddest days of our lives, the fact that our sister and daughter continues to help people after her death fills us with pride and gratitude.”

Netanel Menachem Eitan z”l

Netanel Menachem Eitan was a 22-year-old soldier from Jerusalem who donated three organs after his death. A 56-year-old received a heart transplant, a 36-year-old received lungs, and a 70-year-old received a liver transplant. Netanel had signed an Adi organ donation card and his family wanted to continue “his spirit of giving, in giving life to others.”

Alemnew Emanuel Feleke z”l

Alemnew Emanual Feleke was a 22-year-old soldier from Kiryat Gat who donated six organs after his death. One person received a heart and lung transplant, a 53-year-old received a liver transplant, a 45-year-old received a kidney and pancreas transplant, and a 58-year-old received a kidney transplant. Feleke’s brother Noam said that donating his brother’s organs “was a way of continuing his spirit of giving.”

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.