A day after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, Yakir Hexter and Dovid Schwartz, two best friends, were called up to serve in Gaza. On Jan. 8, the two combat engineers died together in a rocket-propelled grenade attack during intense fighting in southern Gaza. Less than a month later, Yakir’s grandfather, Chris Hexter of University City, talked with the Jewish Light’s Editor-in-Chief Ellen Futterman about his grandson’s life and the honorable legacy he left behind.
| STORY: Best friends, IDF buddies leave honorable legacy
Yakir’s story deserves to be told and told again. This is why Shaving Israel has invited Chris Hexter to be a part of an upcoming program to share eyewitness accounts of the current situation in Israel and share his grandson’s story.
The program is set for March 31, at 3:30 pm., at Nusach Hari B’nai Zion (NHBZ), 650 N. Price Road. Due to security concerns, registration for this free event is required. Food will be available for purchase.
What is Shaving Israel
St. Louis-based Shaving Israel is the only group in the United States whose mission is to educate U.S. citizens about the needs of the Israel Defense Force (IDF) and funds the purchase of toiletries, personal items and food vouchers from Israeli suppliers for members of the IDF who are in need or deprived of family support systems.
Since the war started, they have helped more than 2,600 Israeli soldiers.
“Right now, we’re spending a lot of money to try to help soldiers in need in Israel and we’re getting requests from social service agencies inside Israel,” said board member Laura Goldmeier. “We’re supplying things soldiers need day to day in the field, like toiletries, cell phone batteries, T-shirts, socks and body wipes.
