Omer Neutra, fallen IDF soldier from Long Island, mourned at memorial service
SYOSSET, N.Y. -- A memorial service was held for Omer Neutra, a fallen Israel Defense Forces soldier, on Tuesday on Long Island.
Neutra was once believed to have been taken hostage during the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, but the IDF confirmed Monday he was killed while defending a kibbutz on that day when women, children and elderly people were abducted and murdered.
His body was taken into Gaza, where it's still being held.
Remembering Omer Neutra on Long Island
It was standing room only Tuesday inside the Midway Jewish Center in Syosset, where more than 1,000 people gathered with heavy hearts and lost hope.
Neutra, a 21-year-old from Plainview, was emotionally remembered as a charismatic, big-hearted and good-natured leader with a memorable smile who did what he felt was his duty. He took a gap year after high school, leaving the safety of Long Island to join the IDF and serve a year before college to keep the peace and protect Israel.
"Literally put himself on the line, ultimately with the goal of making it a better and safer world," Midway Jewish Center Rabbi Joel Levenson said.
"You're holding out hope for over 400 days you can see him again," friend Hayden Roth said.
Neutra's parents, brother and friends spoke about the young man the world got to know only through his image, what they called an unbearable journey.
"How do you speak about your son that you've been fighting for 14 months, hoping, praying he survived the most horrible conditions on earth, and yet, you won't get to see him? And then one moment, one knock on the door, and it's all over. You have to internalize you will never see him again," his father, Ronen Neutra, said.
"Now things are clear, but not as we hoped, and your void, a big hole in my stomach," said his mother, Orna Neutra. "Omer, you are now leaving many broken hearts. You gave too much too soon."
"I am relieved to know for all this time you have not been suffering or tortured in the ways I expect you might have been. You are someone who is bigger than life, we are all so lucky to have known someone as special as you. You will always be our hero, love the person who will love you forever," friend Alyssa Medelowitz added.
"Why did we lose our handsome yet humble boy? Why? Why? Why? Because some people chose war over peace, others hate over love," friend Rachel Cronin added.
Neutra's family calls for all hostages to be brought home
Neutra's parents have been tirelessly fighting for Hamas to release the hostages for the last 14 months to end the war. His brother made a tearful plea to return his remains and return all the hostages.
"The greatest honor we can give to him is to rescue the people he gave his life to protect," Daniel Neutra said.
Sitting next to Neutra's parents were the parents of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an American-Israeli hostage who was executed along with five others earlier this year. The family was also joined by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, who has ordered flags to be flown at half staff.
"A young man, steeped in his faith, believed in the cause of protecting Israel and his story is an inspiration to all of us," Hochul said.
The seven-day mourning period of shiva will be held at the Midway Jewish Center through Thursday before it continues in Israel.