On October 7th, 2023, Rabbi Shmuel Slotki presided over the IDF team that worked to search for bodies in southern Israel. At the same time, his sons, Yishay and Noam, went to fight the terrorists and lost their lives doing so.
Minister Miri Regev, who oversees the planning of the Israeli Independence Day events, announced on Monday that she has chosen Rabbi Shmuel Slotki to light a torch at the state ceremony on Mount Herzl.
During the October 7th Massacre, Rabbi Slotki presided over the IDF General Staff Causality Search Company, which worked at the various scenes in the south to locate missing people.
At the same time, his two sons, Yishay and Noam, went to defend the communities of the Western Negev and fell in combat against Hamas terrorists. Contact between the father and his sons was cut off during the day, and a few days later, he learned that they had both been killed.
Minister Regev explained that despite the heavy loss, Rabbi Slotki continued to deal with the holy mission of finding missing persons and identifying casualties. In recent years, he has worked with public initiatives to promote unifying and constructive discourse in Israeli society.
Minister Regev stated: “With his heroism and sacrifice, Rabbi Slotki represents everything beautiful and noble in this land. He paid the heaviest price for our freedom, and even after receiving the bad news that knocked on his door twice, he continued to dedicate all his strength to finding missing persons and saving human lives, and to give great support to the soldiers and team members who assisted him in the work. In his actions and spirit, he personifies the ability to grow from crisis and to continue working to build up the security and unity of the country that we so love.”
