I was volunteering in a picturesque citrus orchard yesterday picking clementines with some friends, our attempt to help our country during wartime. Suddenly a mobile phone rang out. One of the women sat down on a plastic crate under the shade of a tree heavy with fruit and cheerfully answered her daughter's call. I stepped away to give her privacy but even from a distance I could see body language that told of bad news. Tragically we have all become too used to that in recent months. It was the news about the passing of Hanan Drori, a friend of her son-in-law.

Three Israeli soldiers from the small town of Psagot who fell during the war: Amihai Witzan z"l and Moshe Yedidya Raziel z"l, were killed defending kibbutz Kerem Shalom during the Hamas invasion on October 7th, saving the kibbutz residents from being massacred like so many of their neighbours.

Hanan Drori z"l died this week after he was seriously injured in northern Gaza during December. His wounds were infected with a virulent fungus, and despite attempting innovative new treatments doctors were unable to save him.

Amihai was Yedidya's counselor in the Bnei Akiva youth group. Yedidya was Hanan's counselor. All three were counselors at the local Bnei Akiva group in Psagot. Three generations of brave Zionist leaders who fell in defence of Israel. May we be worthy of their sacrifice.