More than 4,500 people will gather at the Armored Corps Memorial in Latrun, overlooking the Judean foothills, for the largest English-language memorial event on Yom Hazikaron eve on April 29. The 17th annual ceremony on Israel's Memorial Day, organized by Masa Israel Journey, also reached hundreds of thousands of viewers globally through online broadcasts, continuing a yearly tradition.
This year's commemoration will carry extraordinary significance amid the ongoing conflict following the October 7 attacks. The ceremony, themed "Together We Remember," will serve as both a reflection of national grief and a demonstration of Jewish solidarity during this challenging period.
The event will spotlight the personal narratives of young olim from Jewish communities worldwide who chose to make Israel their home and subsequently sacrificed their lives. These individuals include Ronny Ganizat, a French-Israeli reservist who lost his life in Lebanon; Bruna Valeanu, a Brazilian-Israeli student and Masa alumnus who was killed at the Nova Festival; and Hersh Goldberg-Polin, a young man from California who Hamas kidnapped during the October 7 attack and later murdered while in captivity.
These deeply personal stories will be presented at the ceremony not merely as names to be commemorated but as comprehensive accounts of lives fully lived. Each individual embarked on a journey that began in a different country but concluded in Israel, becoming an integral part of the Israeli narrative and collective identity.
"I'm doing this for my children": Ronny Ganizate
Ronny Ganizate, a father of three and a former combat soldier, was killed on October 9, 2024, in a mission to uncover terror infrastructure in southern Lebanon. He was 36 years old.
But Ronny's journey began decades earlier in Marseille, France, where he grew up as the fourth of five children. His family wasn't particularly religious or Zionist. It was his older brother Jeremy who first became observant, made Aliyah, and enlisted in the IDF, soon inspiring his siblings to follow.
"Ronny didn't come just because we did," Jeremy explained. "He asked himself: 'Is this what I want?' And when he decided, he said, 'Yes. I choose this.'"
At 18, Ronny made Aliyah alone through a Masa–Bnei Akiva program, volunteering on a kibbutz and with Magen David Adom. He later joined the Nahal Brigade, serving as a lone soldier.
"Being a lone soldier means total independence," Jeremy reflected. "There were no parents at the ceremonies. No one to wash your uniform on weekends."
After his mandatory service, Ronny met Shoshana, the love of his life. They married, had three children, and Ronny began working at Jeremy's accounting firm, where he became, as Jeremy put it, "the heart of the office."
Though he was not obligated to continue serving in the reserves, Ronny never missed a single day. In his final call with his brothers before returning to Lebanon, he said: "The soldiers with me are like my second family. I can't leave them. And I'm doing this for my children, too."
On October 9, during a mission to clear a village in Southern Lebanon, Ronny and his unit were ambushed by a terrorist cell hiding near a school. Ronny was killed instantly by a rocket-propelled grenade. He had completed 226 days of reserve duty since the war began.
"He had an infinite love for Israel," Jeremy said. "Even in the mud and rain, he smiled. He said, 'You can do it with a smile or without one — but without a smile, it's much harder.'"
"She loved fiercely": Bruna Valeanu
Bruna Valeanu, originally from Rio de Janeiro, made Aliyah at age 16. She arrived with little Hebrew and no friends, and quickly built a life of purpose, service, and deep connection. Her friend Sharon said, "Her motto was – You only live once".
"Her Hebrew name was Bracha, which means blessing in Hebrew. And she really was a blessing," her sister, Florica, said. Bruna learned Hebrew quickly, and after completing high school, she enlisted in the Israel Defense Forces, serving as an instructor in the Armoured Corps.
"Bruna was radiant," her sister said. "She laughed loudly, she spoke fast, and she loved fiercely."
On October 7, 2023, Bruna was dancing at the Nova Festival near Kibbutz Re'im. She tried to escape during the attack, sending her last messages shortly after gunfire erupted. "Bruna did send me a message at some point, saying she thinks she is going to die", Sharon said. Florica added: "I know that evil exists, but I couldn't possibly imagine the magnitude of what has happened there".
At 24, Bruna was murdered that morning by Hamas terrorists. "If I could, I would erase that day, it was the worst day of my life," Florica said about the day when she was told about what happened to her sister. Thousands gathered at the Yarkon cemetery in Petach Tikvah to mourn a young woman who had given her heart to a country that became her home.
"We had a very special bond," Sharon said in tears. "She was the best hugger. If I had just five more minutes with her, this is what I would do – just hug her really close". Her story, shared at the Masa ceremony, reminds us of the dreams she carried from Brazil — and the life she built, proudly, in Israel.
"Those who have a 'why'": Hersh Goldberg-Polin
Hersh Goldberg-Polin was born in Berkeley, California. He made Aliyah from Richmond, Virginia, in 2008 with his parents, Jon and Rachel, and his two sisters. "When we made Aliyah, we said to Hersh: your name is going to be confusing for people in Israel, because it is Yiddish and not Hebrew," Jon said. "Now is your chance to choose a nickname or to come up with something that is a Hebrew version of 'Hersh'. And he right away said, 'I am Hersh, and they're going to deal with it. ' And they did."
Hersh was an active, curious, gentle-hearted young man — the kind who tried to bridge divides, bringing Israeli and Arab kids together through soccer.
On October 7, Hersh was at the Nova Festival when Hamas attacked. "We heard sirens go off, which is very unusual in Jerusalem," Rachel said. "I knew Hersh and his friend were out camping, so I wanted to check on them. As soon as I turned on my phone, two messages instantly popped up on the WhatsApp group that Jon and I had with Hersh. The first said 'I love you', the other said 'I'm sorry'. I knew immediately something horrible was unfolding. I wrote 'Are you ok? Tell me you're ok,' and those messages were never read."
Hersh was wounded — his dominant left forearm below his elbow was severed — but he managed to apply a makeshift tourniquet to himself. He was then kidnapped and taken to Gaza.
"We knew the country was in panic and crisis, and so we immediately started working, first trying to determine what happened to him, and then, once we learned he was taken hostage and was severely wounded, trying everything we could to bring him and the others home," Rachel said.
Over the following months, Rachel became the face of the hostage movement, speaking at the UN, meeting with world leaders, and refusing to let the world forget her son and the rest of the hostages.
On April 24, 2024, Hamas released a video showing Hersh in captivity. "It's an underground hell," he said. The video was the first sign of life that Rachel and Jon received since Hersh was taken hostage on October 7.
Then, on September 1, Hersh's family announced that his body had been recovered. "We had 328 days of torture, and at 4:00 a.m., we got a phone call from our point of contact in the army, and we knew right away what it is that they were coming to tell us," Jon said.
Hersh had been executed by Hamas in a dark and airless tunnel, about 164 feet underground, with 5 other beloved young people. "Hersh did every single thing right to stay alive. He was a survivor. If I could talk to him again, I would say 'I am so proud of you,' but he knows," Rachel said. "In our Jewish tradition, a Jew who is killed for no other reason except that they are Jewish is called holy. All of the beautiful souls lost during this dark chapter, beginning on October 7th, who were killed for this reason of simply being Jews, they are the essence of holiness, each and every one." Hersh was buried in Jerusalem. President Isaac Herzog attended the funeral.
In the tunnels, Hersh told fellow hostages the famous quote by Viktor Frankl, who himself survived the Holocaust and went on to write the famous book, Man's Search for Meaning: "Those who have a 'why' to live, can bear with almost any 'how'." Hostage survivors say this motivated them to keep going and gave them hope, even in the darkest of places.
A shared journey
The Masa Yom HaZikaron commemoration demonstrates that Israel's honored dead represent diverse backgrounds beyond native-born Israelis. These fallen include numerous immigrants who relocated to Israel from countries such as France, Brazil, the US, Argentina, South Africa, Ukraine, and various other nations. These individuals serve as connectors between Israeli society and Jewish communities globally.
Meir Holtz, CEO of Masa, said: "Yom HaZikaron, our Day of Remembrance, is an essential part of Israel and the Jewish people. Each year, we hold the ceremony in English and other languages, primarily to make this day accessible to Masa fellows in Israel — in a language they understand and with content they can relate to. This year, this goal feels more important than ever. The Jewish people are at a pivotal moment, and our unity, our ability to empathize, and our expression of solidarity with the entire Jewish people, wherever they may be, are critical. That's why this year's ceremony theme is — 'Together We Remember.'
Together, we remember. Together, we grieve. Together, we honor the memory of those who have fallen defending our homeland. And together, we hold our heads high with hope for the future. The stories shared here tonight are connected by the values of love, determination, sacrifice, and commitment to Israel and the Jewish people. This ceremony is for us to focus on the heroes, cherish the world they left behind, and try to be worthy of their sacrifice. May their memory be a blessing".
Major General (res.) Doron Almog, Chairman of the Jewish Agency, added: "On Yom Hazikaron, we come together with deep sadness and a strong sense of responsibility. We remember the brave men and women who gave their lives for the State of Israel. Their memory serves as a moral compass, connecting the past to the future. The stories show the deep connection between the Jewish people and the State of Israel.
"It is a miracle like no other," he said. "Memorial ceremonies held in Israel and in Jewish communities around the world also represent this shared journey for the Jewish people and the State of Israel. We will remember Israel's fallen with gratitude and sorrow, and we will strive in everything we do to be worthy of the generations who gave their lives for all of us."
Through the shared narratives of Ronny, Bruna, and Hersh, the Jewish and Israeli community collectively remembers, perseveres, and demonstrates solidarity.
