Staff sergeant Itay Chen, 19, from Netanya, who was killed in battle and whose body was returned to Israel last week, will be laid to rest today (Sunday) at 11:00 AM at the military cemetery in Kiryat Shaul.

The funeral procession began this morning from the family home in Netanya, with the public invited to stand on the side of the road with Israeli flags and pay their last respects.

President Yitzhak Herzog paid tribute to Staff sergeant Itay Chen and expressed deep appreciation for the generation of Israel’s young warriors.

“I find myself moved again and again by this amazing generation – your generation, Itay,” said the president. “Look at what a glorious generation has risen up and become ours, look at what hidden light there is in this generation – diamonds one by one, lighthouses that shine for us from afar.”

Herzog added that this is a generation of wonderful girls and boys, “with hearts of gold, heroes of Israel, superheroes, the generation that will lead us towards a shared and better Israel tomorrow.”

Rabbi Ido Pachter, the Chen family’s Rabbi, praised the Chen family, their strength, their never giving up on their hope that they would bring Itay home. “Now,” he said, “is the time to cry.”

Rabbi Pachter, “We don’t always understand why things happen in our lives, but we must try and learn. What must we learn from Itay? He was one of the first fallen and one of the last to return home. He was killed in the Torah portion when Moses died and he was returned when we read about the death of Abraham. Moses and Abraham taught us how to live as a nation. These were the two biblical personalities who knew how to live with their siblings in peace. One does not need to be a genius to bring good to the world, it is enough to have a good heart. Do not hate, in your heart. We must always remember to be brothers.”

Steffen Seibert, Ambassador of Germany in Israel, “Standing here is the ultimate feeling of pain, knowing that you are officially dead. We hoped so much that Itay’s body would be returned to Israel, so that you would have a site for mourning. Today is a day of pain and of relief. From the videos and photographs we have seen, Itay was laughing and enjoying life. Chagit and Ruby, you were true fighters. Whenever we felt that we had reached a dead-end, you always thought of another way to try and find a way of bringing Itay and the other hostages back home.”

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