Tragedy strikes twice: IDF widow loses second partner to Gaza missile
Iris Eden, who lost her first husband in an infamous military helicopter crash 22 years ago, lost her partner of 17 years on Sunday when his vehicle was hit by a Hamas anti-tank missile; 'The two loves of my life went up in flames,' she says
In the latest round of cross-border fighting, which erupted over the weekend, Palestinian militants fired more than 700 rockets into Israel, killing four Israeli civilians, the first Israeli fatalities from rocket fire since 2014 Operation Protective Edge.
Iris Eden’s husband, Lieutenant Yashish Eden died in 1997 when two Israeli Air Force helicopters carrying IDF soldiers collided mid-air, killing all 73 passengers on board. On Sunday, 68-year-old Moshe Feder (whom Iris calls “the second love of her life”) was tragically killed as well.
“It’s a horrible tragedy,” said Iris. “Me and Moshe were together for 17 happy years. For me and for my three sons he was a powerful male figure to rely on … he was a wonderful father and a proud grandfather.
“Life threw many obstacles my way after my husband died, and I would not have been able to overcome them without Moshe,” she said. “The two loves of my life both went up in flames, one in a helicopter and the other in a car.
The couple met five years after the death of Iris’s first husband, a reserve IAF pilot. “I’m not wondering ‘Why me?’ I’m just grateful for the wonderful years we’ve had together and for the memories they left me with,” she said.
In a 2017 interview, Iris talked about the connection Moshe had with her three children from the previous marriage. "The three boys lost a father figure and I, as a mother, never tried to take his place, and I also never looked for someone to replace him,” she said. “A woman can find herself another partner, but the children can never find another dad.
“The reason why Moshe was successful in connecting with the children is because he never attempted to take Yashish’s place.”
Feder, a Kfar Saba resident, left behind two children of his own - Amit, 35, and Nimrod, 34.
