Five months ago, my family and I mourned the death of my son, Master Sergeant (res.) Tzvika Lavi, after he was injured in the Gaza Strip following clashes with terrorists. He was always an optimistic, calm, cheerful person, who helped everyone. I remember my last conversation with him, a week before the incident in which he was injured. He and his unit went on leave in Ashkelon, and my husband and I went to meet him.
Tzvika was very calm and relaxed, and during our conversation, he constantly reassured us, saying, "Don't worry about me, I'm fine. It's not about me, it's about our country, and we will get through this." He was so confident and committed to his mission to defend the State of Israel. Missing him is painful, his comforting hug is so dearly missed.
On October 7, he was immediately drafted and went to the reserves; he was a platoon sergeant, and very early on was asked to organize his unit and head south. He entered Gaza with his unit, and while on duty on November 20, he was severely injured along with his comrades after they were hit by an anti-tank missile.
He was transferred to the Assuta Medical Center in Ashdod, where he was sedated and ventilated for three weeks until on December 11, marking the fifth candle of Hanukkah, his light went out, and Tzvika succumbed to his injuries.
My Tzvika was a soldier in the 699th Battalion. He was married to Talia and the father of three young children - Shaked, Amitai, and Aviv, aged four, three and a half, and one year respectively. He was a wonderful husband and a dedicated father to his children, he used to play with them, even when he was tired, he always had patience for them.
He had sentences of optimism and hope that he always used, such as: "Talk with hugs, never let go of the first hug," "I work so that my family will be happy, if I work an hour less – they’ll be happier," "The way to deal with failure is not to let it define you," or "When traveling, take a different route each time, truly be amazed by our land."
Tzvika was born after several years of fertility treatments, a very optimistic child who looked at the world with kind eyes. He had many friends and was very loved. After him, we had four children, and he was a dominant brother with the character of a firstborn, always caring for his siblings and having good relationships with them.
His military service began in the Nahal Brigade and later in the Maglan Unit. Before enlisting in the IDF, he studied at the Bnei David Yeshiva, and it was clear to him that he was going to be a combat soldier in an elite unit. It was important for him to arrive at the military trained and ready. After his military service, he married his partner, Talia, and together they started a family and settled in Eli.
Tzvika was very connected to Torah study, and it was a central pillar in his life. Professionally, he was a social worker, and in recent years, he worked at the dual diagnosis hostel in Rosh Ha'ayin, providing aid and support to individuals struggling with mental illness and addictions.
He worked there for two and a half years and managed to reach the hearts of so many patients and colleagues to the extent that the hostel changed its name from "Beit Yehoshua Hostel" to "Beit Lavi Hostel."
During his hospitalization, we knew that many responded to our request and prayed for him. At the time, we came up with an initiative calling to receive Shabbat early with a calm mind. We chose this initiative because Tzvika always made an effort to receive Shabbat calmly, with a cup of hot chocolate - and cake.
Before Shabbat entered, he always made special and calm family time. We went out calling to the people of Israel, to set aside family time, to ask the children about something good they had this week, and thus ignite Tzvika's spark.
As Yom HaZikaron (Memorial Day) approaches, there are many ceremonies and many who seek to commemorate Tzvika; it warms my heart to see how beloved my son was, how many people felt close to him and ask to honor him. It makes me feel like his spirit carries on. As a mother, I knew he would grow up to be a lovely and special person, but I didn't realize how much. He never talked about his successes. Those we heard about from his many friends.
There are many initiatives to commemorate Tzvika, all coming from projects of friends and acquaintances. About a month ago, a Torah scroll was dedicated in his memory, to the synagogue in the village where Tzvika grew up, in Carmel. Carmel's youth are building a special recreational corner in his name. On Passover, on his birthday, food was delivered to the elderly in Arad with his picture and a few words about his personality.
In his residential neighborhood, residents are building a synagogue in his name. Tzvika was a regular visitor at the synagogue, he used to pray at the front of the synagogue and made a point of attending prayers in a minyan and being an active participant in lessons, regular social gatherings on Saturdays, and Torah and community initiatives in the neighborhood. Tzvika was among those who pushed for the establishment of the synagogue and sought to promote its construction.
Another initiative involved an illustrated maps of Israel project - an initiative started by his friends from Carmel after his name to introduce people to our amazing land.
The Puah Fertility Institute has launched a special project in the field of psychological support for fertility-challenged couples, which will be named after Tzvika because of his regular donations to the institute and his involvement with mental health.
Additionally, there is a WhatsApp group in his name with 750 members who share memories and thoughts about him. Seeing how much he’s missed by everyone, not just us, is moving to the point of tears.