A light of courage: Staff Sergeant Oriya Yaakov dies on his 20th birthday
On the sixth night of Hanukkah, 20 years ago, a great light entered the world. His parents named him Oriya (light of G-d), hoping he would spread light wherever he went. They could not have known then how deeply his name would define his life, and how profoundly the world would feel his absence when that light was extinguished on his 20th birthday, in combat in Jabalia.
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Staff Sergeant Oriya Yaakov, of the Combat Engineering Corps, was a rare combination of physical strength and gentle spirit. “Oriya was big, strong, 6 ft. 3, athletic, loved soccer and chess,” recalled his father, Tiran Yaakov. But beyond his towering presence, it was his heart that stood out. “Oriya was all heart and light, always thinking of others, always giving for others.”
“Dad, he was alone”
To friends and family, Oriya was “the funny, kind-hearted one” of the group. His cousin Liroy Fahima, who grew up alongside him as a close friend, described a bond of shared adventures, daily conversations, and limitless generosity: Oriya was a giver, a person who spread light, true to his name. He would give up things important to him so others could have more.”
Oriya’s generosity knew no age limits. His father recalled how he volunteered at Bnei Akiva, spending hours with elderly residents: “I saw him sitting with an 86-year-old man, talking and laughing. I asked him, ‘Wow, a 14-year-old with an 86-year-old?’ He answered, ‘Dad, it’s not about that. He was alone. He just needed someone to listen.’” The ability to see another’s loneliness and fill it with a smile became his hallmark.
The soldier who took the blow for his comrades
When it was time to enlist, Oriya sought no shortcuts. He aspired to the most meaningful service, and even when assigned to the Combat Engineering Corps, he embraced his role with immense pride. “He told me, ‘Dad, you don’t understand the things we do here; we gain knowledge, learn how to neutralize and detonate explosives, and we also fight,’” Tiran recalled.
During the war, while still a trainee in a squad leaders’ course, Oriya could not remain on the sidelines. He pressed his commanders to assign him to a combat battalion rather than training: “We are at war right now. I want to fight. I want to be inside.” He entered Gaza with a profound sense of duty, promising his family he would give everything “for the people, the country, for us, so we can continue.”
On Dec. 12, 2023, his 20th birthday, Oriya went out with his team on a mission in Jabalia to rescue hostages. During the operation, a militant emerged from a tunnel and fired an RPG at the unit. Oriya, leading the team, took the full impact. “Thanks to his size, he prevented many shrapnel pieces from reaching the soldiers behind him. He absorbed the entire hit,” family members said. Even in his final moments, his strong body served as a living shield for his comrades.
A soul departs, a soul arrives
Oriya’s death on his birthday left his family devastated. “I’m proud of him, I love him. This was what he wanted to do, but it hurts,” his father said. Amid their grief, a poignant moment offered the family a glimmer of comfort: while Oriya was being buried, a baby was born in Ashkelon to a family who did not know them. The parents chose to name him Oriya Yaakov.” When they learned a soldier of the same name had died at that very hour, they rushed to console the grieving family. “We buried Oriya Yaakov, and another Oriya Yaakov came,” Tiran said. “One soul leaves, and another arrives.”
Oriya’s father recalled that comedian Israel Katorza visited during the shiva (mourning period). “There was something special in that visit; he gave us the feeling that our son did not fall in vain. He speaks in his performances about Oriya and the soldiers, about how they serve for our people, for our unity. He gave us strength, and I deeply appreciate him. Some came to the shiva just to check a box, but Katorza came to support, to embrace, to love. He is simply a special person.”
Honoring him with smiles and pastries
Today, Oriya’s family works to continue his radiant path. His father established intergenerational gatherings between youth and the elderly in memory of Oriya’s conversations with the elderly at Bnei Akiva. He also runs a coffee and pastry cart for soldiers at the Ashkelon train station. “Oriya cherished the people who brought refreshments for the soldiers. If it gives them strength to fight, who am I not to do it?”
Oriya’s legacy is one of smiles even in the face of hardship. Liroy Fahima summed it up: “He taught me how to approach a task cheerfully, not to worry about how hard it is, but simply to do it in the best way possible.”
Staff Sergeant Oriya Yaakov left a slightly darker world behind, but his family is determined to continue spreading his light through giving, compassion, and unconditional love.
Staff Sergeant Oriya Yaakov, Combat Engineering Corps, fell in combat on Dec. 12, 2023, at age 20.
May his memory be a blessing.
Staff Sergeant
Oriya Yaakov