A Circle Closed: The Return of Adi's Tefillin

It's been almost a year since the devastating event in northern Gaza where 11 Givati soldiers, including Sergeant Adi Danan, lost their lives. Adi, a platoon commander in the Tsabar Battalion, perished when an anti-tank missile struck the armored vehicle he was in with his comrades. Since then, his parents, Vered and Yaniv Danan, along with his sisters Linoy and Lior, have been navigating their profound loss and working to preserve his memory. Recently, a moment of hope and closure came when Adi's tefillin, thought to be lost forever, were returned to his family..

"We were speechless," shares his sister Vered with Mynet. "After the tragedy, we were told that the tefillin were burned along with all the other contents of the vehicle, and we didn't expect to ever see them again." Just weeks before the 11-month memorial, the family received an exciting phone call from the casualty officer: Adi's tefillin had survived the fire..

According to the officer, items recovered from the war are meticulously collected and sorted, and only after a thorough examination was it confirmed that the tefillin belonged to Adi. "It was a sign from above," recounts Yaniv, Adi’s father. "On the very day we received the news, I was at the print shop preparing announcements for Adi's memorial. Hearing about the tefillin, I felt the connection between us hadn't been severed."

Adi was just 20 years old when he died, leaving a deep impression on his family, friends, and fellow soldiers. Since his passing, the Danan family has been actively commemorating him in various ways. In a few months, a Torah scroll will be dedicated in his memory at the local synagogue, ensuring his legacy lives on. "It will be a moment of immense pride, one of the most moving moments for us in this difficult year," concludes Yaniv..

In a letter Adi left for his family, he wrote heartfelt messages to each member, offering them comfort during their mourning. "He wrote me that I am the person he loves most in the world," shares Vered. "Those words stay with me every day."

Adi's close bonds with his friends remain strong, including with singer Yonatan Kleimi. Kleimi dedicated a song to Adi and has stayed in touch with the family ever since. Recently, he released a song "Don't Worry, Mom" in Adi's memory. "Adi is with us everywhere," Vered concludes. "I miss him every moment, but I know he is watching over us from above."