We are approaching Memorial Day for the Fallen Soldiers of Israel and Victims of Terrorism. I wanted to talk about one of the tens of thousands that were killed for Kiddush Hashem. My good and beloved friend, Amichai Marhavia, Hashem yinkom damo.

Amichai the sweet, the modest, the innocent and the moral, with the beautiful eyes, and that infinite smile, that no one could resist.

I studied with Amichai during my 12 years of school. The thing that was engraved in my heart, that I learned from him, was his love for the environment. When we were kids, whenever there were fights in the class, I always asked myself, How is it that Amichai always gets along with everyone? Everyone loved him. There was something charming about him that was difficult to resist. I never heard a bad word about Amichai. It’s still difficult for me to believe that Amichai isn’t alive. He was always so lively, so easygoing.

During our high school days, at Yeshivat Yerushalayim L’Tzeirim, we studied Torah together, and at the same time, he invested and contributed himself as a counselor at the Bene Akiva Mossra branch in Jerusalem. Of course there too, everyone loved him.

We were in the same room together, with our friend Shmuel Weiss, Hashem yinkom damo, who was also killed in battle at Genin. How painful it was for Amichai, losing Shmuel. Apparently he missed him so much, that he went over to visit him.

I always asked myself, from where was the charm and gentleness that Amichai possessed?

Today I understand that Amichai received a gift from Heaven, the gift of mission. Everywhere he went, everyone loved him, and out of this love, the people and environment were ready to accept his good deeds, as a personal example that he projected to his surroundings.

God infused him with light, and it seems that this noble figure of His, so innocent and moral, could not possibly live in a world of lies.

His integrity, and the truth that he demonstrated, led him throughout his short life. He always stood by his principals, doing things wholeheartedly.

I remember his beautiful innocence, that he once asked me: “How can a person lie?” He just couldn’t grasp it. How can there exist a reality of evil? Amichai, you weren’t able to understand how it can be that there are people who don’t act nice, who act in a way that is unfair, and lacking integrity.

Before the evacuation from Gush Katif, the Chief of Staff kicked Amichai out of his officer service, due to his unique integrity, when Amichai wrote a letter to the Chief of Staff stating that he is not capable of carrying out an order that contradicts his natural human morality: “The expulsion of Jews from their territory.” Amichai returned to being an officer after a short period, since the Golani Brigade Commander would not give up on an officer like him. Love for the land of Israel burned within him.

A few weeks before Amichai was killed, I’d called him, I asked him if he wanted me to set him up with someone. Amichai told me, “Wait, after the army! In the meantime, I’m there. It’s not good to get married when you’re in the army! Have compassion for the woman who’s married to an officer!”

Apparently Amichai understood exactly what his role was in the army, and he did it wholeheartedly and happily, with all the difficulties that arose on the way. Amichai is the symbol of a special paradigm that within the heart, combines the Torah of Israel, the people of Israel, and the Land of Israel.

Out of great love,
Your friend forever,
Hillel Merzbach