Brother,

How do I write this to you, I don’t know. I’ve been trying for days and nights to write and pour out everything I have in my heart. What a difficult loss. What an unforgettable experience that is burned into my head and will never be forgotten. An experience that I wouldn’t wish on any commander in the world to experience – burying his soldier that he loved, raised and educated.

I have so many things to say to you and about you that I haven’t had time. I don’t know where to start. My head is mixing up all the thoughts. What now? How does the family go on without you? How does society go on without you? The one you wanted to swear to forever.

We have to be realistic – the situation will not return to normal. You are gone and what remains are only the memories that remain of you and all the values ​​that you instilled in the people around you and your soldiers, especially.

I remember the days when you, Liran and I sat in my office and joked about all of our relationships. How in your haredi sector everything goes quickly and you don’t wait. You, who started it all as a request and then I realized that you were serious about proposing to your dear friend Noy, whom you just left alone. But I believe that you are by her side, even if it’s not physically. You, you are just there! We feel you.

Remember the idea of ​​a marriage proposal that I suggested to you and you were so excited? I really wanted you to do it so much. I saw the happiness on your face and how you loved the idea that I proposed to you. Maybe one day I will do it myself to my friend just because of you.

Almog, the blow was hard for the entire fleet and for me personally, very hard. I’ll tell you a secret: at your funeral, I pretended that “everything is fine and that we should move on,” but that was only for our soldiers (to be the commander at the forefront of the force and to instill a feeling of power, strength and steadfastness). Inside, Almog, I was torn. I know that our soldiers will never understand me, because the day after the funeral I didn’t show up at the fleet, but that, Almog, was because I had to lean on myself. To breathe, to think, to cry and to let out the grief.

So many memories come to my mind, to the point that everything gets mixed up in me. I hope not to forget anything.

I must tell you something that personally moved me very much. It was only at your funeral that I realized what you did “behind my back”, to maintain your modesty. How you helped the soldiers in your class, team and company. I was very moved to hear how you welcomed Avraham into your home with open arms and made him have great respect for you and the Jewish religion. I think you opened up to him the great power of family and broke the thin layer of ice that was in him. Thanks to you, he has regained communication with his family.

Almog, as you already know, I am a very religious person and very connected to religion. I am sure you heard and saw from above that two soldiers from your class were selected for the company commander course and need to finish the course in three and a half weeks. One of the soldiers is Sharabi. He told me when I met him how much you meant to him, that you were the reason he went to the company commander course and that he would excel in all the values ​​you gave him, just like you used to do when you were his commander. That Rabi will be a good commander – I am sure of that, just as I was sure of you.

I miss you here at the staff meetings. It takes time to get used to the fact that you are no longer with us. Thanks to you, as you probably know, your parents decided to establish a home for lone soldiers whose goal is to accept outstanding and exceptional lone soldiers from the fleet and the entire IDF, a home that will provide warmth and love like any home in Israel.

There was a race in Tel Aviv in your honor. Me and the charming Tal (the guy who didn’t know you and is doing everything to immortalize you for many years to come) ran the race together. On the one hand, I felt proud to have the shirt with the inscription “Beit Almog” in your name. On the other hand, I felt a dark sadness that you are not running with us, and all of this is actually an effort to remember and commemorate you.

Omri Shoshani, Almog’s direct commander