In early august, Yehuda Yitzchak HaYisraeli was injured in a firefight in Rafiach in Gaza as part of Operation Protective Edge. He was critically injured, and has been recovering in the ICU in Soroka hospital for the past month.

HaYisraeli was injured by a piece of flying shrapnel which penetrated his skull. He was injured during combat which occurred in the fighting which took place after Hadar Goldin’s body was kidnapped. Since his injury, HaYisraeli has remained unconscious and has undergone four surgeries. He is the oldest son of six children to David and Iris HaYisraeli.

On August 21, HaYisraeli’s  wife Rivki gave birth to a healthy baby boy. HaYisraeli and his wife live in Tel Aviv and have a daughter who is a year and eight months old.

On Thursday, Soroka Hospital held the circumcision ceremony of Erez Yehezkel, son of Yehudah Yitzchak HaYisraeli, a sergeant who was severely wounded during operation Protective Edge and has been in  the intensive-care unit ever since being admitted.

No feeling of support has been as bold as what the LIBI Fund pulled off on Thursday this past week. Knowing that HaYisraeli was still in the hospital, LIBI took it upon themselves to organize everything that was necessary for the circumcision ceremony of HaYisraeli’s new son, a son he has not yet met.

LIBI is the official fund of the IDF. Established in 1980 by Prime Minister Menachem Begin and the IDF Chief of Staff Rafael Eitan, the goal of LIBI is to provide for the educational, religious, medical and recreational needs of Israeli soldiers and their families.

LIBI volunteers went  to visit the HaYisraeli family’s newest member and brought with them everything that was needed for his family and the ceremony.  LIBI also generously donated many toys for his older sister.

HaYisraeli’s injuries are severe and require a lengthy healing process. “The doctors told us we need to be patient. Everyday we are learning more and more what exactly patience means. We need to be strong for Yehuda, and he will need his strength to heal,” Iris HaYisraeli, mother of the injured Yehuda, told the Walla!.

The doctors in Soroka Hospital have been doing everything they can to help HaYisraeli.

“The amazing thing that gives us strength has been the doctors. They believe that the soldiers went to fight for them so they are doing everything they can for the soldiers. In addition, the hundreds of visitors and supporters who have come from Israel and abroad has also made this a whole lot easier. From the children bringing snacks to people offering wishes and prayers, it makes us realise that we are not alone,” said Iris.

David HaYisraeli, Yehuda’s father said: “Our feelings are those of joy and gladness that we have made it this far, and of hope that Yehuda will soon wake up. We have complete faith and we are not giving up, even if the process is a long one. God willing he will heal and whatever God has in store for us, we will go down that path.”

Yehuda and Rivki made sure to choose the name of their new son before Yehuda went off to war. Their son was welcomed into the nation of Israel and named Erez Yehezkel. The grandfather of the newborn said, “ I hope that Yehuda will recover and that he will be able to tell this child the reasoning behind the name that his father and mother picked out for him.”

Dr. Motti Klein, director of the ICU in Soroka Hospital, participated in the celebration and explained, “This is a happy day here, as a we celebrate the new life that began a week ago. The circumstance into which this child is born, with his father still unconscious and suffering from severe injuries are tragic, but the event is happy.”

“This isn’t a simple private affair in the hospital. This is a national event with a symbolism that we can all share. A new generation is born, we are continuing persevering and renewing our country. Our tears today are tears of sadness mixed with tears of joy,” he added.

The LIBI Fund’s organization of the details of the ceremony and provision for the family was very warmly received and sources at the LIBI told Breaking Israel News that they were very happy to be able to help the family of this injured soldier.

“We were ecstatic to be able to provide the HaYisraeli family all the items needed for the circumcision ceremony. The father is still unconscious and he and his family have given up so much to defend the State of Israel. We wanted to help in any way we could,” a LIBI source explained.

The organization is continuing to help injured soldiers all over Israel.