The Story of Moshe Leiter

Since the tragic event of October 7th, JCHS has made it a priority to bring in speakers with first-hand experiences to share their powerful stories and heroic accomplishments since the war. This week we had the privilege of meeting Yechiel Leiter. Yechiel tragically lost his son Moshe in Gaza early in the war. Moshe was an incredible brother, son, husband, and father to six wonderful children. At a young age, Moshe was an already accomplished man who served in the IDF for many years beyond his required service. Yechiel told us an unforgettable story about what Moshe did while he was on duty. Moshe would write notes to everyone in his family. Even in the toughest times in battle, Moshe wanted to write. Unfortunately, the blast that took Moshe’s life also destroyed his letters. On Erev Shabbat before he fell, Moshe spoke to his father and said, “Shabbat Shalom, everything will be fine.” Sadly, that was the last time Yechiel spoke to his son. This teaches us a lesson to always exchange kind words with those we love dearly. No one knows what could have been written in Moshe’s notes, but we know that Yechiel would do anything to retrieve them. May Moshe’s memory forever be a blessing.

Sarina Bunick