In a touching tribute to one of Israel’s 66 fallen soldiers during last summer’s 50-day war, the town of Benei Re’em in Israel’s central Nahal Sorek region held its fifth annual charity run, and dedicated it in the memory of IDF soldier Second Lieutenant Hadar Goldin h”yd.
Goldin, an officer in the IDF’s elite Pulsar Golani unit, was killed in Gaza at the height of Operation Protective Edge, after Hamas terrorists breached one of several ceasefires to attack his unit on the outskirts of the city of Rafiah.
Goldin’s body, together with that of another soldier, Oren Shaul, is still being held by Hamas as a bargaining chip. Upcoming talks in Cairo between Israel and Palestinian factions including Hamas are rumored to include a possible deal for their return – which could see the release of terrorists imprisoned in Israel.
Thousands of runners participated in the event, which included four tracks: ten kilometers, five kilometers, two kilometers and one kilometer.
Among the runners were several of Goldin’s comrades from his unit who fought alongside him.
Hadar’s parents Dr. Simcha and Hedva Goldin, as well as his twin brother Tsur and his fiance Edna Seroussi – who was due to marry Hadar just one month after he was tragically killed – were also present in a show of both support and appreciation for the runners, and announced the results of each race.
The head of the Nahal Sorek Regional Council, Eli Askozido, announced that the annual run would be permanently renamed to honor Hadar’s memory and keep his legacy alive.
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