Schechter Hosts Memorial Service in Honor of Omer Neutra

by Sam Levenson, SSLI '27

This morning, the Schechter community gathered to grieve, remember, and honor Omer Neutra. The memorial service included eulogies from staff and students as well as remarks from friends and family.

Omer Neutra grew up on Long Island. He joined Schechter in first grade and later graduated in 2019. Instead of going straight to college, Omer decided to take a gap year in Israel and later joined the IDF, as he was a strong Zionist and believer in the state of Israel. Omer quickly became a tank commander in his unit, stationed on the Gaza border. On October 7, 2023, Omer’s tank malfunctioned after being hit by Hamas terrorists, and he as well as two of the other soldiers he was with were murdered. It was believed that Omer was alive for 423 days, and his parents and millions of people have advocated for his release, but we received the devastating news that he was killed on October 7 this past Monday. As Omer was a beloved alumnus, Schechter planned a memorial service in order to remember him.

The service began with the reading of Psalms 23 and 121, which are typically read at funerals and unveilings. Then, different people with connections to the Neutra family spoke at the service. Alumnus Ben Fineman and senior Hannah Fineman spoke about their family’s close relationship to the Neutra family and the memories they made with Omer.

The Schechter community honors Omer Neutra's bravery, selflessness, and heroism. (I. Lax)

Freshman Eitan Guy said, “The most powerful part of the event was seeing how my current teachers had a strong relationship with him.” Morah Friedman-Charry spoke with a group of teachers who described a special moment they shared with Omer. She explained, “Each eulogy was impactful. It's the combination of different perspectives, and knowing that from the youngest to the oldest, Omer had a profound and positive impact on so many of us.”

The event ended with the singing of Hatikvah and Acheinu, and members of the Schechter community wrote loving and comforting messages that will be given to the Neutra family. Jordan Bitton, a junior, said, “One of the most impactful aspects of the memorial was writing letters for the Neutra Family.” Many are searching for a way to help and show their support, and this was a nice way to do that. Morah Friedman-Charry stated, “Seeing all of the students writing notes afterwards makes us know that he’s impacted this whole generation of students.”

The memorial service allowed some of the students who hadn’t met Omer Neutra to be able to resonate with the funny, joyous person he was. Guy described, “I learned how brave, caring and passionate Omer was toward not just his family but everyone around him.” Morah Friedman-Charry emphasized, “Everyone felt this was very important to do. People explained that they came away knowing Omer a little bit better, and resolved that we are the ones who can keep his memory alive.”

Bitton concluded, “Omer’s life is something that will never be forgotten and is an inspiring story known around the world.”

זכרונו לברכה
May his memory forever be a blessing.

Sam Levenson is a writer for Paw Print Now and has been published on the site since October 2023. Sam is currently a sophomore at Schechter School of Long Island and can be reached at the following email address: slevenson27@schechterli.org