In March 1993, Yehoshua Friedberg, a soldier and immigrant from Canada, was kidnapped. At a time without mobile phones, it took several days to realise that he was missing.
A fellow soldier and close friend named Ari Fuld helped conduct the search for Yehoshua, whose lifeless body was found several days later.
Last year before Yom Hazikaron, Israel’s memorial day, Ari wrote of the pain he still felt about Yehoshua’s death.
Tragically, since Sunday morning, all of Israel has been plunged into mourning with the first terrorist murder of the New Year 5779. The fallen? Ari Fuld himself.
Ari was born in New York and raised in a family which values community service, Torah observance and love of Israel. He made aliyah over 25 years ago and worked as a karate instructor.
Later, he went from teaching boys self-defence to showing the world how Israel should be cherished and defended on the battlefield, in the political arena and on social media channels.
Ari worked for Standing Together, a non-profit organisation that supports soldiers in the field. He travelled to bases throughout Israel, giving soldiers warm drinks and non-standard defence equipment in the winter, and cold drinks with pizza in the summer.
He initiated campaigns to raise money for special bags which stored water and kept it chilled for hours, unlike standard canteens.
He was also a lead member of the rapid response team in the settlement of Efat, south of Jerusalem. When there were security alerts, Ari would lead a team to comb the fields around Efrat for hours until the situation was declared clear.
Ari exemplified devotion in every area of his life. He was happily married to Miriam, a dedicated mother and talented jewellery designer. Together they raised two daughters, Tamar and Naomi, and two sons, Yakir and Natan.
Their youngest son is 12 years old. Tragically, his father will not be by his side when he chants his barmitzvah parashah.
Ari had a large family. His brother Hillel Fuld is a driving force in the Israeli hi tech scene. He is also survived by his parents, three other brothers and cousins.
In 2017, he starred in a film promoting Israel that was directed by Yona Morgenstern. Ari is shown shaking hands with an Arab at the local supermarket near the place he was murdered, engaging with soldiers and tucking his youngest son into bed.
Tragically, frustratingly, while Ari used social media and videos to spread his love of Torah and Eretz Yisrael, Hamas spreads bloodlust on the internet and the Palestinian Authority pays thousands of dollars to murderers and their families for each Jew who is brutally slain.
Ari posted videos speaking about another passion, Torah. In his last video, he blessed his daughter before she went away for Shabbat. Ari’s last hours were spent in the loving embrace of his family on Shabbat.
His final act was to shoot the man who stabbed him, thus preventing more attacks.
May his memory be blessed and his family know no more sorrow.
