The IDF held a ceremony to honor their ‘Chevra Kadish’, the organization responsible for the proper handling and burial of deceased Jewish soldiers.
“This day is a special day for the members of the Chevra Kadisha,” said an IDF spokesperson. “Due to their involvement in the important and sensitive field of burial of the dead, their service” demands an enormous amount of self sacrifice. This is why the army’s Chevra Kadisha utilized the day for introspection and soul-searching. Chief Rabbi of the IDF, Brigadier General Rabbi Eyal Krim, said during the closing ceremony: “One of the tasks of the largest and most sensitive of the military chaplaincy is handling all involved in identifying the fallen soldiers and bringing them respectfully and sensitively to burial in Israel while still comforting the grieving families in their darkest hours,” he said. “This task might not seem very hard on a practical level but on an emotional level… It puts a lot on the shoulders of the military rabbinate.”
“We accept this heavy burden with love and emotion for this privilege and responsibility to those whose lives have been lost in the service of Israel. May the blessing of God be upon us all.”