Israel Amar

Israel Amar, son of Tamar and Mordechai, was born in Petah Tikva in 1991 and grew up there. He attended the Neot David state religious school and the Kfar Avraham technological yeshiva. He later studied at the Or HaHaim Yeshiva in Jerusalem and, after his studies, chose to enlist in the IDF. He served as a search and rescue combat soldier in the Home Front Command. Izkor describes his love of learning, his modesty and the close relationships he maintained with his parents and siblings.

Israel married and started a family, becoming the father of three children. Alongside family life, he practiced sacred crafts, writing mezuzah and tefillin scrolls and helping his nephews prepare to be called to the Torah. During the holidays, he collected donations for people in need. When the war broke out, he was called up for reserve service in the Home Front Command. Master sergeant Israel Amar fell during his service in the war on 30 September 2025, 8 Tishrei 5786, aged thirty-four. He was laid to rest at the military cemetery in Petah Tikva and is survived by his wife, three children, parents and five siblings.

In October 2026, his story also appeared in a Jewish Press memorial feature about portraits of Beit Shemesh residents lost during the war years. The article remembered Israel as a father and reservist and chose to describe a family moment: when the adults were absorbed in conversation around the Shabbat table, he would turn to the children and tell them stories. This memory also appears in his official life story, recalling the patience and affection he devoted to the children in his family.

The artist Dena Ackerman prepared portraits for the municipal memorial event in Beit Shemesh held on 5 October. The article about the project included Israel’s memory alongside the stories of other residents. His reserve company also established a tefillin station in his memory, and the Beit Shemesh municipality’s website commemorates him as a resident of the city. Between family memories and acts of commemoration, details of his life endure: his connection with children, his learning and craftsmanship, and the work for others described by his family. May his memory be a blessing.