Cpl. Hillel Nehemiah Ofen, z”l

Corporal Hillel Nehemiah Ofen, the son of Chanital and Boaz, and brother to Shemaiah, Dina, Yishi, Mevaseret, Bat Zion, and Tiferet, was born a year after the passing of his grandmother, Dina HaCohen z”l, whose character embodied the traits of Hillel the Elder, and thus he was given his name. The name “Nehemiah” was added in recognition of the comfort his family found in his birth. He first lived with his family in Ramat Gan, and when he was two years old, they moved to the community of Carmei Tzur in Gush Etzion. Hillel studied at the “Kinyan Torah” Talmud Torah school in Kiryat Arba and later at the “Makor Chaim” Yeshiva in Kfar Etzion. He was full of charm, always smiling, and radiating warmth. Everything Hillel did was done with humility and a striving for perfection. He was a people’s person and a conversationalist – principled, patient, compassionate, and caring, sensitive and thoughtful, profound, persistent, and attentive to detail. This was evident when he undertook a daily personal study of the Mishnah and Maimonides’ Mishneh Torah, as well as when he learned to play the piano. A young man blessed with many talents, unique and special, who loved nature, loved hiking in Israel, and loved to sing. In his pocket, Hillel carried a notebook filled with the lyrics of Hebrew songs he loved. He also loved simple things, enjoyed sunrises, built a chicken coop in his backyard, and planted trees.

After graduating from high school, Hillel studied at the “Or Torah Metivta” Hesder Yeshiva. There, too, he was a thoughtful and sharp-minded student. A man of peace who loved every person as they were. Hillel was skilled at debate but always did so with kindness. He was a devoted son and brother who was deeply connected to his family, making it a habit to bring his mother flowers every Friday before Shabbat.

In June 2022, Hillel enlisted in the IDF, joining the Combat Engineering Corps and the Yahalom Unit. He was assigned to the EOD Unit and was determined and highly motivated to contribute to the security of the people and the state. His friends recall that he was the beating heart of the team, caring for everyone, remembering everyone’s birthdays, and serving as a leader and an influence. “Despite being the youngest in the team, you carried the heaviest load,” one friend said. In his gear, Hillel kept a note he had written that distilled the essence of his identity as a believing Jew who loved his people and his nation. Among other things, Hillel wrote: “I belong! I belong to my family, to my community, to society, to the nation. I belong to the state, to the homeland. Everything that has happened and will happen to me and to my people, everything that has shaped my identity and my being – I belong to it. And I have a duty to guard, protect, and uphold all of this, to do everything I can to ensure its eternity.”

On August 14, 2023, during “Pressure Week” in the Yahalom Unit’s combat training course, Hillel took part in a nighttime crawling exercise at the Adam training facility. Hillel fell behind his comrades, veered off the crawling path, lost contact, and collapsed, falling to the ground. He was 20 years old. He was laid to rest at the Mount Herzl Military Cemetery. Hillel left behind many writings. Among them, he wrote: “Connection is what binds us when we meet. Longing is what binds us when we part.”

May his memory be blessed.