Opening the Genesis volume of The Humash of Heroes reveals the familiar verses “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” on the left page of the fold, while the right side of the page features something else.
Here we find the story of Staff Sergeant Or Mizrahi, of blessed memory, a Nahal reconnaissance unit fighter who fell on October 7 in battle at the Kerem Shalom outpost. “Or was a young man full of joy and life, always caring for others. He thought deeply about those around him before considering himself. On Simchat Torah, he fought with unwavering heroism,” reads the first page of this special Humash.
This page, dedicated to Staff Sergeant Or Mizrahi, is part of The Humash of Heroes, a special Humash set commemorating hundreds of soldiers who fell in the war in Gaza. Each fallen soldier receives a full page featuring a biography, family tributes, and a unique Torah ideas written by a rabbi in their memory - an idea that connects the soldier’s personal legacy to the weekly Torah portion in which it appears.
The Torah volumes also commemorate Bedouin, Druze and Christian soldiers who died defending the state, with Torah ideas specially crafted to honor them as well. Each page becomes a permanent memorial that will be read weekly in synagogues and study halls around the world.
Amit Mann, who was murdered on October 7 while serving as a paramedic in Kibbutz Be’eri, is also commemorated in The Humash of Heroes. “Having our Amit commemorated in this Humash moves us tremendously, especially since she was killed on Simchat Torah,” says Lior Mann, Amit’s sister. “The essence of the Torah is its eternality - something we all connect to when we feel and think about our Amit. We know she’s always with us, that this will never cease, and that someday we’ll see her again."
Amit's sister adds: “This also brings things full circle for Amit - our father, of blessed memory, used to make Kiddush to consecrate the day of the Sabbath with a Torah idea about the weekly portion, and Amit was deeply connected to this tradition.
After he passed away, Amit took over making Kiddush, and every Sabbath she would open my father’s book and read what he had written about that week’s portion. This creates a special bond between Amit, our father, and the eternal Torah of the Jewish people.”
Staff Sergeant Guy Simchi fell on October 7 after fighting terrorists with his bare hands and saving dozens of lives. He is commemorated in this special Humash. Dedi Simchi, Guy’s father, became emotional while discussing the significance of this commemoration: “I believe this memorial project is extremely important because it connects the Jewish heroes of 2023 and 2024, during the Iron Swords War, to thousands of years of Jewish heroes.
There’s a connection of blood, of history, of heroics, and of faith - each person in their own way. That’s why I deeply connect to this commemoration through the Torah. Every Sabbath, people will read from this Humash and see the heroic stories of all our fighters, men and women. In my view, these books of Humash should be not only in every synagogue but in every home. This is our new Bible, our new Torah that connects us to current events and the Jewish heroism of our generation."
Initiated by the Mantzichim association, The Humash of Heroes is being published after a year of work with dozens of researchers and an investment of 1.5 million shekels. The edition includes all five books of the Torah. Over 400 of the most prominent rabbis in Religious Zionism participated in this special memorial project - including Rabbi Shlomo Aviner, Rabbi Yaakov Shapira, Rabbi Micha Halevi, Rabbi Yitzchak Shilat, and many others.
Each rabbi received information about the fallen soldier they were writing about and created personalized Torah commentaries that match the character and legacy of that fallen soldier. A team of dozens worked for over a year coordinating with each family to gather the necessary materials, which were then provided to the rabbis. Professional Torah editors adapted the commentaries for each fallen soldier while preserving the connection between the Torah idea and the soldier it commemorates.
“In every Jewish home in Israel and around the world, they will remember the heroic soldiers who fell,” says Yehuda Lanzkron, founder of the Mantzichim association behind this project. Lanzkron is himself a bereaved brother - his younger brother Naftali Ben Zion was murdered in a terrorist attack 24 years ago.
“This initiative ensures that every Sabbath, when Jews around the world open their Torah books to read the weekly portion, they will remember the soldiers who fell for the Jewish people,” says Lanzkron. “In this way, the fallen become an integral part of the Jewish people’s eternal tradition each week, and will be remembered forever in every home and synagogue worldwide.”
Each bereaved family will receive the complete set as a gift from the association, and in the coming days, these special Torah volumes will be made available for purchase by synagogues, educational institutions, organizations, and individuals.