An Uplifting Legacy: Ekana Navon's Story

Comedian Hanoch Daum shared with his followers that ever since Ekana Navon fell in Jenin, several friends reached out to Daum asking him to share Ekana's story with the people of Israel. According to Navon’s friends, who said he was just 20 at the time of his passing, his story got somewhat "lost" amidst recent events.

"I'm sharing something here because we need to understand what a loss this is, and what a remarkable generation," wrote Daum, attaching a story shared by one of Ekana's friends - Ilay. "Ekana Navon, who was killed today, was a dear friend of my Ilay," wrote Ilay's mother to Daum. "Ilay has been a soldier for just a year, only 20 years old, and has already lost seven friends in battle." Ekana was the seventh friend. Ilay wrote this in his memory and asked me to send it to you."

"I want to tell you about Ekana. I struggled with the field test in the commanders' course and was scared that I wouldn’t be able to pass it and be certified as a commander. The day before the course ended, we were told: 'Tomorrow is the last chance to pass the test.' I talked to Ekana, confessing that there was no way I could pass because the standards were higher than usual, and I was having a hard time. Ekana just looked me in the eyes and said, 'Bro, you’ll get up tomorrow morning, pass the test, and continue your day.' I told him not everyone is a machine like him, breezing through everything easily."

"The next morning, I woke up at 4 AM and headed quietly to the start of the test without waking Ekana. I reached the starting point, began running, and came to the first obstacle – the wall. I jumped but couldn’t reach high enough, struggling to get my leg over the wall when suddenly I felt a push that launched me smoothly over the wall. I crashed face-first, lifted my head, and saw Ekana standing above me. 'Run!' he shouted, encouraging me at every obstacle, updating me on the times, and maintaining high morale, not letting me slow down for a second."

"We got to the 'Kofiko' – iron bars you need to cross using your hands. I kept trying, but each time my hands slipped because it was dawn, and the bars were wet with dew. I couldn’t get across. Ekana took off his shirt, jumped up, and crossed from bar to bar, drying the bars with his shirt specifically so I could succeed."

"When we got to the finish line, I collapsed from the effort. He came over and said, 'See? You made it, you champ.' I asked, 'What now?' and he replied, 'Now you continue with your day.'"

This story received many reactions online. Ilay summed up and dedicated a few words to his friend: "That's who you were, my brother. A man of actions, not words, someone who was ready to give everything for his people and never stop. May your memory be a blessing."