During the week of May 12, Hadas Hershkovitz visited SAR Academy, SAR High School, Frisch, Noam and Flatbush Yeshiva. On her visit to SAR Academy, where she taught from 2012 to 2016, SAR posted on Instagram “Hadas and her husband, Yossi, HY”D were beloved educators in our community. Yossi, who was tragically killed in Gaza in November 2023, left behind a legacy of kindness, Torah and leadership that continues to inspire. Hadas carries that legacy with incredible strength.

“As she visited schools across our area this week to share Yossi’s story, her words moved our students and faculty, reminding us what it means to live with purpose and faith. In one powerful moment from her visit, our students stood arm in arm, surrounding Hadas, singing the melody Yossi composed, inspired by Tehillim, ‘Even when I walk in the valley of death, I will not fear, for You are with me.’ It’s a song our students have held close since last November—bringing strength, reflection, and hope as we continue to pray for our chayalim and the hostages.”

Hadas explained: “The war was the end, the tragic part of Yossi’s story, but this wasn’t Yossi’s life story. I wanted the students to hear about Yossi: about who he was, how he treated and behaved to others.” She described Yossi calling his 98-year-old Auschwitz survivor Savta before candle-lighting. “Every week, she would sit next to the candles and wait for Yossi’s call, because only then she can light the candles.I shared this story with the students and invited each of them to take on themselves something small, just one phone call that can make the difference, for Saba and Savta, parents or friends.

“Yossi didn’t let anything stop him. When he believed in something and thought something needed to be done, he did all he could, in a sensitive and creative way.” Yossi was very upset about the internal fighting in Israel. He tried to find ways to change the tone. As a Yom Kippur chazan, “he was very into the tefilla. He screamed, he cried, and everyone felt it.”

Hadas recalled how upset her husband was upon hearing about a fight in Tel Aviv over tefilla and a mechitza. The next day Yossi had his idea to write a sefer Torah in memory of Chen Amir, a secular man killed in an August 2023 Tel Aviv terrorist attack. During the attack, Amir saved others. Yossi was moved by Amir’s personality; how he sacrificed himself. Realizing that this would be an expensive endeavor, Yossi asked his students to collect recyclable plastic bottles, that “they will feel the kiruv levavot in their hands, collecting for the sefer Torah.” Yossi had already explained his project to Amir’s parents.

Hadas had forgotten this story, but it came up during shiva. “The day after shiva, I called Amir’s parents, introduced myself and asked if a principal from Jerusalem had called about a sefer Torah.” She told them that Yossi had been killed. “They were in shock and asked to call me back.” She described their call: “They live on a kibbutz near Gaza and survived October 7. All their neighbors were murdered, but they feel that Yossi’s sefer Torah saved them. Hashem watched over them.” Hadas promised them the Torah would be written. At Yossi’s shloshim, she told this story to Yossi’s students. By collecting bottles and other projects, funds were raised. In a few weeks, this Torah will be dedicated and placed at Amir’s parents’ kibbutz.

Yossi was known for his niggun “Gam Ki E’lech.” “He composed this tune while going into Gaza,” Hadas said. “I think he was afraid, and he wanted Hashem to be with him, and he needed strength.” She compares this niggun to the Ani Ma’amin song from the Holocaust, “because this niggun survived Gaza. A musician heard this niggun inside Gaza and passed it to us during shiva.”

Hadas was inspired by reactions of local students to her presentation, especially that Yossi did so many things in 44 years. Seeing many people connecting to his messages brings her strength. Yossi started many projects when he was alive. “We need to continue them. to continue his dreams.” She added: “Yossi had a lot of light. I want his lights to be all over the world, not only in Israel.”

Hadas plans many projects to continue Yossi’s visions. To learn more about ways to support Yossi’s dreams, visit the website Do Good Be Yossi, The Foundation For Education and Good Deeds in memory of Yossi Hershkovitz. https://givechak.co.il/BeYossi/en?ref=r2#details2