Noa and Yitzhak Bunzel have kept the memory of their son Amit alive following his death in Gaza last December. Amit Bunzel, 22, a member of the Paratroopers Brigade, was killed on December 6, 2023, amid ongoing hostilities in the region. Despite their loss, his parents emphasize the values he embodied—self-belief, compassion, and perseverance—as lessons they continue to share with their community and the broader Israeli society.

Amit’s death came more than two months after the initial outbreak of violent conflict in early October. Since then, his family has worked to preserve his legacy by highlighting the example he set in his brief life. Amit’s parents reside in Shoham, where a street has been named in his honor, serving as a daily reminder of his service and sacrifice. For Noa Bunzel, the gesture is both poignant and surreal. “It’s crazy. I never dreamed that there would be a street named after my son in Shoham,” she said, reflecting on the honor.

Memorials to Amit also extend to religious spaces. In their local synagogue, a dedicated cabinet bearing a sign in his memory holds holy books, and a separate synagogue named B’Darkei Amit (“In the ways of Amit”) was established in Kiryat Gat. These tributes underline the impact Amit had on those around him and the desire to keep his spirit present in everyday life.

Noa describes Amit as a unifying presence within the family, particularly as the middle child among three siblings. “Whenever Nadav and Adi would argue, he would say, ‘Stop. I’m begging you not to argue. We are a family,’” she recalled. Nadav currently serves in reserve duty in Lebanon, while Adi works as a casualty assistance officer in the Engineering Corps, underscoring the family’s deep ties to military service.

Beyond his role as a soldier, Amit’s sensitivity and kindness stood out to those close to him. Noa shared a personal memory from his early childhood: after she had finished Shabbat preparations one Friday afternoon and felt quietly sad, six-year-old Amit offered a reassuring smile that “gave me the strength to go on.” This moment exemplifies the enduring warmth his family associates with his character.

While Amit’s death marked a profound loss for the Bunzels, his legacy of resilience, hope, and commitment to others continues to inspire not only his family but also his community and wider Israeli society as they navigate the ongoing challenges of the conflict.