Memorial routes created in Modiin to honor fallen soldiers
In Modiin, Israel, memorial routes and public markers honoring fallen soldiers have been created with the support of the Jewish community of Rochester, United States. The initiative was implemented by the Modiin-Rochester Partnership2Gether partnership, Mayor Haim Bibas, and the Modiin municipality, The Jerusalem Post reports.
The project is called misholim, the name given to routes displaying the names and stories of those who were killed. Each memorial marker contains a QR code linking to information about the soldier. Locations for the routes are selected based on the life path of the person to whom they are dedicated.
Routes in places of remembrance
According to the publication, 35 soldiers from the Modiin community have been buried since October 7. One of the routes was dedicated to Yona Brief, a medic in the Duvdevan unit, who died on November 25, 2024, after 417 days in intensive care. He sustained 13 gunshot wounds, suffered 11 cases of pneumonia, underwent two amputations, and experienced severe liver and kidney failure.
The route honoring Brief, who was an active member of the Bnei Akiva movement, leads to the local center of this youth organization. Several months after his death, his family organized the national Duvdevan blood donation campaign, which collected 480 gallons of blood during its first year.
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Eden Zimri, commander of a drone unit in the Artillery Corps, was killed on October 7. She was honored with a route near the Nahal Oz post, running between her home and the community swimming pool where she used to swim. A memorial route honoring Eitan Auster, commander of a squad in the Egoz special forces unit, was laid out to a synagogue.
The connection between Modiin and Rochester
The organizers approach the families of the fallen at a time convenient for them, allowing them to experience their loss before being offered a public commemoration. According to partnership chair Zigi Avni, some families feel close to their loved ones specifically near such routes. On Memorial Day, Eitan Auster's mother chose to honor her son at the memorial route rather than at the military cemetery on Mount Herzl.
The initiative also commemorated Yonatan Dean Haim, a Rochester native who converted to Judaism, moved to Ramat Gan, and served in the Israeli army. He was killed during Operation Iron Swords. Following an appeal in the summer of 2025, Partnership2Gether helped establish a route in his honor.
The Rochester Federation donated $350,000. The Modiin-Rochester partnership, which marked its 23rd anniversary in August, also runs at least five community engagement programs, including a three-week program for young people in Rochester, Poland, and Israel.
