Liel Shoham

Liel Shoham, the eldest son of Efrat and Yizhar, was born in Rehovot on 23 October 2004 and grew up there with his siblings Ori, Noam and Adi. He attended the Noam HaTzvi Torah school and Bnei Akiva HaDarom Yeshiva High School, then continued at the hesder yeshiva in Karnei Shomron. His life story on Izkor describes an inquisitive young man who excelled in his studies, loved science and dreamed of working in medicine to help others. He was a member of the Ezra youth movement and also volunteered with children with disabilities.

On 9 May 2024, he enlisted in the IDF as a combat soldier in the Golani Brigade’s 12th Battalion. During training, he was selected as his platoon’s outstanding soldier and later served as the platoon commander’s radio operator. His friends described how he cared for others even on difficult marches and would return to help carry stretchers after completing his own turn. In June 2025, he received a certificate of appreciation for his performance in combat. Corporal Liel Shoham fell in the line of duty on 9 July 2025, aged twenty, and was laid to rest at the military cemetery in Rehovot. He is survived by his parents, two brothers and a sister.

His family and community continue to commemorate him through acts of giving. In February 2026, Rehovot News reported that his grandmother Dalia visited the children’s ward at Kaplan Medical Center and distributed Purim gift packages to the hospitalized children. The visit was held in his memory and inspired by his wish to bring joy to others. The medical center thanked the family for choosing to support the children and continue his path through attention, joy and kindness.

In June 2026, a memorial garden and study hall were inaugurated at Ezra Merkaz in Rehovot in memory of Liel and two other former members, Ronel Ben Moshe and Amit Gueta. According to BE106, city and youth movement representatives attended the ceremony, and a memorial gathering at the cemetery and a remembrance assembly at Bnei Akiva HaDarom Yeshiva were also held that day. Remembrance in the institutions where he studied and grew up joins the encounter with the children at Kaplan; each initiative carries his name into the life of the community. May his memory be a blessing.