Hundreds of mourners gathered Sunday at Mount Herzl Military Cemetery to honor Cpl. Dan Shimshon Mandel Philipson, a 19-year-old lone soldier in the IDF who died earlier in the day from self-inflicted wounds sustained last week in an apparent suicide attempt.
Philipson, who immigrated to Israel from Norway through the Machal program for overseas volunteers, had been serving in the Paratroopers Brigade. He began his service at the IDF’s Michve Alon base, where he attended a Hebrew-language preparatory course before entering combat training.
His mother, Pia, delivered an emotional eulogy at the graveside. “How can I say goodbye to you?” she said. “Just the night before, you messaged me asking when the family's flight tickets were for, and I told you October 29. I was so looking forward to that moment when the whole family would finally be together again. I can’t comprehend that you’re no longer with us.”
Pia described the difficulties her son faced as a Jew in Norway after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel.
“After October 7, it became incredibly hard to be Jewish in Norway,” she said. “You felt that you were part of the people of Israel. When you arrived in Israel, everything changed for you.”
Philipson was remembered as a passionate and principled young man. “Justice meant everything to you,” his mother said. “You were like your grandfather, a Holocaust survivor who dedicated his life to justice. You gave everything for justice and for friendship.”
His brother Yoel spoke about the bond the two shared.
“When we traveled, we held hands,” he said. “When you moved to Israel, you matured and explored the world. Sadly, I didn’t get to experience that with you, but I’m glad you did. The four of us siblings were supposed to conquer the world together, and now we’ll continue without you.”
His older brother Netanel said Dan had embraced religious observance in Israel and had shown great curiosity about Jewish traditions.
“You always had enormous potential, like your name – Dan Shimshon,” he said. “You were strong, a hero. You asked me questions about Shabbat and prayer, and you would come even when it meant waking up early.”
His twin sister, Avigail, offered a tearful farewell. “Dan, I love you. I’ll miss you – and I’ll always miss you,” she said.
Yossi Shneor, a member of Philipson’s adoptive family in Israel, said he had shown deep motivation and spiritual growth since joining the army.
“No enemy could have defeated you,” he said. “You were in distress, and we didn’t know. We will carry your memory and your actions with us.”
Philipson is survived by his parents and three siblings.
His death is the fourth reported IDF suicide in the past two weeks. While the issue has largely remained under the radar since the war began in October, data released by the military earlier this year suggests a growing trend. According to the IDF, 21 soldiers died by suicide in 2024, compared to 17 in 2023 — the highest number since 2011.
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The IDF publishes suicide statistics only once a year, making it difficult to assess the scope of the problem in real time. While most soldiers who took their own lives in 2023 were reservists, the military has said the increase is not considered dramatic when measured against the overall number of regular and reserve troops.