Amichai my brother,
I wanted to thank you for a number of things and to tell you that I am glad to have had the time to know you. I got to know an amazing person who made me optimistic at times of war, and in general. Optimistic about the future of Israelis and about our lives here together, after the war.
Read more:
You, a religious settler from Karnei Shomron and I, a secular man from downtown Tel Aviv, grew very close and I mostly felt that we were very much alike.
I'm glad to have known you. Glad to have had the time to hear about your travels, how you slept in your car, how you ate just one meal a day despite your considerable size and what an experience it was for you to drive the decommissioned cop car that your bought for your trip.
I'm glad I got to hear you play the guitar and sing your heart out with my favorite songs, especially in the middle of the night in the village. How you inspired Yedidya, with your guitar strings and how he then tried unsuccessfully to imitate you. You did not know how to teach him and how it is that you play so well. You said it came naturally, just like that.
That's you. Naturally gifted. Naturally a great guy.
I'm glad I got to eat tons of gummy bears with you. You should know that I ordered crates of your favorite flat kind, especially for you because you are a great guy and it made me happy to see you devour them one by one. One by one? More like 50 by 50.
And yes, just this week I told you that I bought the imported kind that you said were not kosher and we laughed because I had found a way to keep some candy for myself. You are a sweet man, perhaps not least of all, because of the impossible amounts of sugar you consume.
I'm glad we got to award you the platoon's citation before your last leave, because you really deserve it. You do everything wholeheartedly, with your giant heart. True, you like always to be last, but between you and me, I enjoyed that fact that you were with me to close up the line. I felt like I had someone that I could rely on and that I was never alone, because as Sergeant, I was never alone at the back of the lin. Oster was always there, the last one! Just as you like it.
I'm glad we got to talk politics and religion. And that you shared my plan to form a political party, The 3rd Platoon Party. Because in the platoon, you and I understood that everything that our people were going through, can be resolved. We understood that we could talk with respect. That there was much we could agree on and that we have to find what unites us, as we have fun together along the way.
Thank you for listening. Thank you for arguing with me. Thank you for being Amichai Oster. You are a significant part of the platoon and a significant part of my life.
I want to thank you for who you have been to me.
I've loved you and still do, very much, my brother.
You are the embodiment of Platoon 3.
All the guys are here today. There are not many, as you can see. Even Somech, Yedidya, Avital and Ben-Lulu came from hospital for you. We are all with you and will continue to be here with you and with your family, to the end.
We have a blood bond and will never part. Thank you. I love your very much.
Sergeant Groder
Flags on the way to Amichai's funeral
- Sergeant First Class (res.) Amichai Yisrael Yehoshua Oster was laid to rest on Tuesday near his home, in the presence of family, friends and comrades. Tal Groder, Amichai's commander, lamented him with these words