“Wherever I’m needed, that’s where I go”: In memory of Sergeant First Class Yakir Shmuel Tatelbaum
Sergeant First Class Yakir Shmuel Tatelbaum, a combat soldier in the 7th Armored Brigade, fell in battle in the northern Gaza Strip on June 28, 2024, at age 21. Yakir, who grew up in a warm home grounded in strong values, was a quiet, introspective and intelligent young man who radiated joy and a pure love for people and the land.
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As a teenager, he took part in the Derech Prat leadership program and later attended the Ein Prat pre-military academy, where he stood out for his deep Zionism and close connection to Israel’s trails and landscapes. Guided by a worldview that placed the collective before the individual, he asked to serve in the Armored Corps out of humility and a desire to serve where the country needed him most. As he put it: “Wherever I’m needed, that’s where I go.”
Selfless devotion and a deep sense of responsibility
As a tank commander, Yakir was known for his selfless dedication and strong sense of responsibility. During a fierce battle in Shejaiya, when a call came over the radio for help extracting a tank that was stuck, Yakir was the first to climb out of the armored vehicle and turret to help his fellow soldiers. During the rescue attempt, he was struck by sniper fire and killed.
In his personal journal, Yakir left behind words that reflected the essence of who he was: “The concept of ‘I’ does not really exist. The only thing that exists is ‘we.’” His radiant spirit, his sincere love for the country and his belief in the unity of the people will remain forever etched in the hearts of his family, those who loved him and the nation as a whole.
Sergeant First Class Yakir Shmuel Tatelbaum of the 7th Armored Brigade fell on June 28, 2024. He was 21.
May his memory be a blessing.
Sergeant First Class
Yakir Shmuel Tatelbaum