Family Says Government Won’t Allow ‘Hashem Yikom Damo’ on Charedi Soldier’s Tombstone

ISRAEL (VINnews) — The family of Yisrael Yudkin HY’D, a Charedi soldier who was tragically killed in Gaza, says that the government is refusing to allow the words “Hashem Yikom Damo” (‘Hashem shall avenge his blood’) to be placed on his tombstone. The soldier’s brother also says that the IDF has no basic infrastructure for Charedi soldiers and does not treat them with respect.

The family is scheduled to visit Yisrael’s grave this week at the military cemetery on Har Herzl for the Hakamas Matzeiva ceremony (placing of the headstone). They have appealed to the Defense Ministry to allow the all-important religious phrase to be engraved.

In an emotional Channel 14 television interview, Yisrael’s brother Dubi said, “It is greatly disturbing us as a family that on Thursday, we must submit the wording of the headstone to the Ministry of Defense and my mother has asked that the words ‘G-d shall revenge his blood’ be written on his tombstone.”

“This is the wording that Charedi people write on their gravestones. The Ministry of Defense does not approve the word “Hashem”, nor the root of the word “Yinkom,” because revenge is forbidden, so the Ministry of Defense has not approved this.”

He added: “If you don’t respect the fallen Charedi soldiers, then how do you want me to stay in the army? If you don’t respect my brother who fell during his service, why should I respect you at all?

“We’re talking about drafting, we’re talking about Charedim. The army is not built to take in Charedim, it has no infrastructure for that. I’m not talking about Torah lessons, about mikvahs, about gender bases, I’m talking about weapons, about shoes.”

“I’m talking about a Charedi soldier who is killed, the family wants it to be written, G-d will avenge his blood,’ on the tombstone. It’s quite simple, it’s a simple request from my parents, and that’s what will show him respect. He grew up as a Charedi, he was killed in the Charedi regiment. They want these words to be written on the tombstone, so they come to the Ministry of Defense but they say, ‘No we are not approving these words,” he said.

Captain Yisrael Yudkin from Kfar Chabad was tragically killed in a Hamas sniper attack in Beit Hanoun in May.

According to the COLLive website: “Yisrael was known for his good and kind heart, his friends said. He was planning to bring meat from Kfar Chabad to make a barbecue for his fellow IDF soldiers on Lag B’Omer, they said. He loved to help everyone, and was a Commander in his unit who had a great love for Israel.”