The eldest son of Naomi and Chagai, born after many years of waiting. A devoted brother to Yuval.
Ori grew up in Petach Tikva, and when he was five years old, he moved with his family to Herzliya. He studied at “Lev Tov” elementary school and later at “HaRishonim” high school, where he majored in biology and business management, excelling as a student.
From the age of 8, Ori trained in tennis, which he loved deeply. He stood out for his competitiveness, diligence, determination, charisma, and seriousness. He became somewhat of a mentor to his friends and sister, encouraging them to set and achieve challenges, just as he did. A phrase he often said, which reflected his approach: “Those who don’t take risks risk a life of mediocrity.” His friends wrote: “Getting up at five in the morning to climb a dune or dragging us to play basketball after you’d already played tennis in the morning was routine for you. You were an athlete at heart and never shied away from challenges, especially physical ones.”
Ori loved to write and had a remarkable talent for it. At the age of nine, he wrote a book called “Aliens vs. Mutants from Mars,” adding illustrations and dedicating it to his parents and grandparents. He could compose limericks and poems within minutes and often wrote greetings for family events.
Another of Ori’s hobbies was photography. He left behind countless funny videos, many of which he starred in. He also had a great passion for animals; even as a one-year-old, he could name unique and rare animals.
Ori was characterized by a profound sensitivity to others, often helping classmates who faced social exclusion or bullying.
He was a member of the “Reshefim” scouts in Herzliya. At the age of sixteen and a half, Ori left tennis and began preparing for the army with the “Five Fingers” program. He set his sights on joining an elite unit, and everyone knew nothing would stop him.
Ori enlisted in the Givati reconnaissance unit, specifically the 70th team, where he served as a combat sniper. He loved his team and his service.
During his service, he met his girlfriend, Chen. He fell in love with her and planned his future by her side. In one of his poems to her, he wrote:
“After all, I promised, you are sanctified to me,
Your husband, your love, however you choose to call me.
Every day I can’t stop imagining
The moment we’ll marry, finally happening.
Some might say: three months? Really?
But I know this is a once-in-a-lifetime love, truly.
I’ll be okay, I promise,
I’m a sniper who’ll scare off a watermelon menace…
Don’t worry too much about me,
And if you must, for how long? Three months, maybe?
Alright, let’s say a couple more.
Then let’s plan a nice date by the Yarkon on bikes we adore.”
On the morning of October 7, 2023, Ori reported for duty. Together with his reconnaissance team, he fought valiantly at Kibbutz Nachal Oz against numerous terrorists, rescuing and evacuating civilians to safety.
For over a hundred days, Ori fought as part of the reconnaissance unit in the Gaza Strip. On January 17, 2024, he embarked on a daring and complex mission in Khan Younis. The unit encountered heavy resistance, neutralizing and eliminating dozens of terrorists. Ori was critically wounded. After more than 24 hours of battling for his life, he succumbed to his injuries.
His parents agreed to donate his organs, saving the lives of a six-year-old girl and a five-month-old baby.
A saying of his, which truly reflected his essence: “Live every day; you only die once.”
