The eulogy Sarit Zussman read in memory of her son Ben, during his funeral on Monday, moved millions of Israelis.Her son, Sgt. Major (res.) Ben Zussman was killed during his reserve service in Gaza.
"We will prevail," she said at Mt. Herzl cemetery in Jerusalem. "We don’t have any other option. We are a people that values life. Not like our vile and wretched enemy, cowards, Nazis and their allies who sanctify death."
"We will live. We will prosper and we will build. And our leaders must be worthy of us, of the Israeli spirit that pulsates within each and every one of us, of the Israeli spirit that pulsates within our amazing soldiers," she said emotional, but with strength and faith.
"If our soldiers succeeded in putting themselves aside and putting the nation in the center, it is only fitting that our leaders do the same. Leaders who don't understand this, leaders who walk around with a sense of arrogance, should step aside and make way for those who do know what to do. Because we must prevail."
"It's us or them. It's either the Nazis and their allies or us."
Sarit Zussman
She added: "Are you listening people? Do you hear me world? Do you hear me you vile enemies who lust for death and evil?! Am Yisrael Chai! [Israel Lives], forever and ever and ever. Standing tall and with our heads held high. Now more than ever.Let’s strengthen ourselves. Let’s believe. Let's demand good. Let's insist on the good and we will prevail."
Names of fallen soldiers announced
The IDF announced on Monday morning the names of three soldiers who fell in combat in the Gaza Strip on Sunday.
The soldiers were identified as Sgt.-Maj. (res.) Neriya Shaer, 36, from Yavne, Sgt.-First Class (res.) Ben Zussman, 22, from Jerusalem, and Sgt. Binyamin (Benjy) Yehoshua Needham, 19, from Zihron Ya'akov Zussman, 22 years old, was a ping-pong player affiliated with Hapoel Jerusalem and a fan of the basketball team.
At the Jerusalem Ping-pong Center, they mourned him: "With great sorrow and a broken heart, Ben Zussman, our club's player, a hero of Israel, the best of the best. All players of Hapoel Jerusalem share the family's grief. May his memory be blessed."