President Isaac Herzog addressed the official state ceremony at the Western Wall on the eve of Memorial Day, honoring Israel's fallen soldiers and victims of terror by reflecting on their sacrifice and spiritual legacy. He opened with the story of Major Dr. Eitan Menachem Neeman, a physician who rushed to treat the wounded on October 7 and later fell in battle near Sderot after charging terrorists, dying while gripping a live grenade to protect his unit.

Herzog connected Neeman's death to a centuries old liturgical poem written by a grieving father, saying a thread of pain and creation binds generations of Jewish history. Quoting the words 'Weeping, I weep,' he described personal sorrow as inseparable from national memory, and offered prayers for Israel's soldiers and security forces as the country continues its military campaign.

Highlighting the writings and words of several fallen soldiers, Herzog described their legacy as a 'song of life' that endures beyond the battlefield. He called for national unity, warning against silencing one another, and urged the nation to honor the fallen by carrying forward their spirit, dreaming of hope after war, and vowing never to forget their sacrifice.