“Celebrate life”: In memory of Staff Sgt. Adi Odeya Baruch
Staff Sgt. Adi Odeya Baruch was killed on Oct. 12, 2023, at just 22 years old. During her mandatory military service, Adi served as an infantry operations coordinator in the Judea Regional Brigade and received a brigade commander’s award for excellence. She was a person of light, creativity and extraordinary joy for life.
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When the Iron Swords war broke out, Adi refused to stand on the sidelines. She fought to receive an emergency reserve call-up order so she could join an operations room and help the country in its hour of need. On her way to help establish the operations center in Sderot, Adi was struck by a rocket and killed.
The moving words discovered in her songs
After her death, her family discovered a folder containing dozens of poems she had written. In one, she left behind words that became a kind of spiritual testament: “And if I ever die before my time, I want you to celebrate life and not mourn my death. Wake up every morning with a smile and longing in your heart ... See the world for me, cherish every little moment and every once in a while, smile at the clouds. I’ll be there.”
Adi’s words were set to music and went viral, inspiring people across Israel. She left behind a profound legacy of giving, love of country, unwavering optimism and a constant choice to embrace light and life.
Staff Sgt. Adi Odeya Baruch, Infantry Corps, fell on Oct. 12, 2023. She was 22.
May her memory be a blessing.
Staff Sergeant
Adi Odeya Baruch