[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 187 (Monday, November 13, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1092-E1093]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     REMEMBERING YOSSI HERSHKOVITZ

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. RITCHIE TORRES

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, November 13, 2023

  Mr. TORRES of New York. Mr. Speaker, Yossi Hershkovitz was a man of 
extraordinary integrity and kindness. His commitment to family and 
community, and of course to defending his beloved Israel, formed the 
cornerstone of his life. He had a serious, steadfast, calm demeanor and 
a smile that warmed your soul. Resolute and principled, he balanced his 
strength with a soft-spoken, warm, and generously compassionate nature. 
Yossi was a deeply feeling and caring person and educator. There seemed 
to be an endless reservoir of goodness within him. Yossi personified 
the essence of being a ``mensch'' (a person of integrity). He 
consistently showed up for others and sought to increase the feelings 
of unity, light, and positivity in the world. When Israel's innocent 
were targeted, there was no question that he would rise up to defend 
them; and, of course, he made the ultimate sacrifice in doing so.
  Yossi was born in Jerusalem on May 31, 1979. He graduated from the 
Horeb School and the Birkat Moshe Yeshiva in Ma'ale Adumim and went on 
to earn a bachelor's degree in Near and Middle Eastern Studies at Bar 
Ilan University and a master's degree in educational administration 
from Herzog College. In September 2012, he and his wife Hadas, along 
with their two children, arrived in the Bronx to work at SAR Academy, a 
Modern Orthodox Yeshiva day school. While this adventure took them away 
from Israel, its purpose was actually an extension of Yossi's deep 
commitment to Israel and the Jewish people, as they spent the next four 
years working with American students to deepen their connection to 
Israel, and instill a love of Hebrew and Jewish unity. They settled in 
Riverdale, leaving their family and support system behind in Israel. A 
young couple with two small children who did not speak English, they 
quickly found a supportive network within the Bronx and at SAR. Even as 
they worked to adjust to their new community, the Hershkovitz family 
generously opened their home to others, becoming an integral part of 
the community rather than ``visitors.'' During their four year stay, 
they left an indelible mark on the neighborhood and hundreds of 
students.
  Teachers from SAR Academy remember how Yossi truly saw the good in 
every single child he met. Central to SAR's mission is the idea that 
every child has a ``divine spark,'' and it was immediately clear that 
this came naturally for Yossi, as he effortlessly connected with each 
child by believing in them fully. As SAR Principal, Rabbi Krauss, 
shared, ``Yossi's approach to teaching was rooted in compassion and 
caring for each student as an individual. He was a man of strong ideals 
and Torah principles, living out his beliefs both in and out of the 
classroom.'' Yossi's previous work with at-risk youth in Israel gave 
him a soft spot for connecting with kids in need of extra care, and in 
his quiet way, he made a tremendous impact in the lives of so many 
students. His care was felt by all. As one student, Avi, described: 
``Moreh Yossi taught me to believe in myself. All of his students 
looked up to him and sensed he was unique in his courage and heroism.'' 
This was echoed by another student, Oren, who remembers, ``he taught us 
discipline and exemplified a focused, serious mindset. At the same 
time, he laughed with us, and in doing so taught us that completing any 
task can be enjoyable and meaningful. He taught us important values of 
living a Godly life.''
  Yossi and his wife Hadas were a power couple. They gave 110 percent 
to everything that they did while at SAR. Yossi was an elegant musician 
who added depth to any musical performance in school, especially on 
Israel's Memorial Day. When he played the violin, he did so with his 
whole soul. His colleague in Israel, Shalom Weil, later wrote of his 
playing: ``He was a strong, solid fellow, but when he played the 
violin, his whole soul peaked out from his heart.'' He and Hadas took 
their mission seriously and were roll-up-your-sleeves, ``can-do'' 
people who endlessly gave of themselves. Teachers spoke about how when 
chaperoning a trip, having Yossi around was like having 10 people. No 
task was beneath him. He was always on board. The entire family would 
join the students on weekend retreats. Yossi remarkably balanced being 
a fully engaged teacher and a present father. Students and teachers 
remember watching him sitting on the floor with the babies to give his 
wife time to relax and enjoy during the school trips. As their family 
grew with the arrival of their new baby in 2014, they continued to make 
the most of their time in America. They regularly took advantage of 
time off to travel, packing into their car and traveling cross country 
to see the great American sights.
  Upon his return to Israel in August 2016, Yossi and Hadas moved to 
Gush Etzion's G'vaot. As Rabbi Krauss described, ``This community 
integrates people with special needs--in and of itself a testament to 
Yossi's inclusive spirit and commitment to fostering a supportive 
environment for all.'' He also became the principal of ORT Pelech for 
Boys in Jerusalem. While the head of school, Yossi was instrumental in 
introducing the use of an app named `good point' which encourages 
teachers to spend a few minutes a day writing positive notes about a 
student into an app which automatically sends the compliment directly 
to the student and their parents. The app exemplifies Yossi's 
commitment to seeing and growing the good in people. Israeli Education 
Minister Yoav Kisch expressed his deep sorrow, describing Yossi as ``a 
well-known and beloved educator who inspired his teachers and students 
. . . a first-rate educator. The entire education system aches and 
mourns his fall.''
  Above all, Yossi's enormous heart and belief in humanity could be 
seen in his deep commitment and connection to his family. ``Hershkovitz 
was as devoted to his wife, Hadas, and his children as he was to his 
students,'' his former principal wrote. ``He truly loved his wife. I 
learned about how to be a father and how to be a spouse from him.'' 
Yossi and his wife, Hadas, were true partners in life, making decisions 
together that exemplified their commitment to each other, their family, 
and to Israel. His legacy will live on in his five children, Be'eri, 
Halel, Tal, Shire and Neta, each of whom either spoke or wrote 
something to be read at his funeral. They spoke of his deep devotion to 
them, thanking him for studying with them and for being their hero. 
While they questioned who would now be strong for them, it was also 
clear that although there is no way to fill the gaping hole that has 
been left in this world, his family would certainly carry on his 
legacy.
  Yossi's deep commitment to Israel shaped his entire life, and he knew 
that this war may mean the ultimate sacrifice. When he left to join the 
war, he shared with Hadas that this would probably be the last time he 
went into battle. As a member of the 551st brigade, he was killed 
alongside four of his fellow unit soldiers as they approached what 
turned out to be a booby-trapped tunnel next to a mosque in Beit 
Hanoun.
  As Zvika Peleg, CEO of the ORT network put it, ``Yossi's fall in the 
war of light against the dark, unjustly, is a symbol of the 
extraordinary man and educator he was.'' Yossi's students will need to 
adjust to entering school without being greeted by his warmth and deep 
belief in them. Yossi's children will need to

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learn how to be strong in his name and live without their hero. Yossi's 
wife will need to learn to make her way through life without her 
partner, her rock, her anchor. Medinat Yisrael will have to learn to 
forge on without one of their champions, a man molded by the nation's 
values and who gave his life protecting them. And, the world will need 
to learn how to go on without Yossi's light, and must make a promise to 
do whatever it can to make sure that all he stood for is never 
extinguished.
  May his memory be a blessing.

                          ____________________