Memory, Kindness and Renewal: SAR Academy Gathers on the Steps
SAR Academy gathered on the steps to honor the memory of Yossi Hershkovitz z”l on his third yahrzeit. Joined by representatives from Israel’s Tkuma and Tnufa Directorates, the community reflected on Yossi’s enduring influence and the bonds of responsibility connecting Jews in Israel and around the world.
Yossi and his wife, Hadas, taught in SAR’s Middle School from 2012 to 2016. As an Ivrit teacher and leader of the school’s Yom HaZikaron programming, Yossi touched the community through his teaching, violin playing and quiet attentiveness to others. Following the October 7 attacks, he volunteered for reserve duty. He fell in Gaza in November 2023 at age 44.
Morah Ali Bloom shared a message from Yossi’s brother-in-law describing how much SAR meant to him. After returning to Israel, Yossi often spoke enthusiastically about the school and his experiences there. His family’s reflections offered a moving reminder that the community that remembers him so fondly held a special place in his heart as well.
Morah Sarah Richter connected Yossi’s legacy to Parshat Chayei Sarah. After Sarah’s death, Avraham takes action, purchasing Me’arat HaMachpelah. Drawing on that connection between loss and action, Richter encouraged students to honor Yossi through the choices they make and the kindness they show. His example continues to inspire others to notice, care for and do good for those around them.
The gathering also welcomed Aviad Friedman, director general of the Tkuma and Tnufa Directorates, which oversee the rebuilding of communities in Israel’s south and north following October 7. Friedman recited the Mi Shebeirach for IDF soldiers and shared that his own children are serving in Tzahal. He reminded students that their tefilot matter and that their support is felt in Israel.
Friedman spoke about southern communities whose residents were evacuated, killed or taken hostage. Their attackers, he said, believed those communities would never recover. He described the determination to return and rebuild, sharing a message of resilience and growth. The support of Jews around the world, he emphasized, reminds Israelis that they are not alone. He invited SAR families to visit and witness that renewal, describing the rebuilding as part of the Jewish people’s shared vision and destiny.
Following the gathering, Friedman met with faculty and staff, joined by Ella Deri, advisor to the head of the Tkuma Directorate, and Efrat Baicher, spokesperson for the Tkuma Directorate. He spoke about the Jewish people’s commitment to being there for one another. Just as American Jews supported Israel after October 7 and throughout the war, he explained, Israel must remain ready to welcome and support Jews from abroad. Rebuilding communities, universities and opportunities for employment is part of ensuring that Israel continues to serve as a home and haven for Jews everywhere.
The morning brought remembrance and renewal into a shared conversation about how we care for one another. Through acts of kindness, prayer and support, the SAR community continues to honor Yossi’s memory and strengthen its connection to Israel.
