Shloshim Marked for Lone Soldier Moshe Katz HY”D, Ambassador Shares Personal Pain

by CrownHeights.info

Family, friends, and members of the Chabad community and broader Jewish community gathered to mark the shloshim of IDF lone soldier Moshe Yitzchak HaKohen Katz HY”D, who fell in battle in southern Lebanon.

The emotional event brought together rabbonim, dignitaries, and loved ones, all united in honoring a young man who gave his life in defense of the Jewish people.

Among those in attendance was Israel’s Ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, who came not only in his official capacity, but as a grieving father. In a deeply moving presence, Ambassador Leiter stood alongside the Katz family carrying a pain all too familiar—his own son, also named Moshe, fell in battle last year.

Two fathers. Two sons named Moshe. Two families bound by unimaginable sacrifice.

Also addressing the gathering was former U.S. Ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, who spoke of Moshe’s courage and the strength embodied by lone soldiers who leave behind comfort and family to defend Eretz Yisroel.

The event was attended by prominent community leaders, including Rabbi Yehuda Krinsky and Rabbi Shea Hecht, Moshe’s great-uncle. Family members who shared heartfelt words included his father, Mendel Katz; his grandmother, Mrs. Malik Katz; his uncles Shneur Katz and Sholom Ber Katz; and his cousin, Mendy Katz. Each reflection painted a picture of a devoted son, a proud Chossid, and a fearless soldier.

Moshe Yitzchak Katz, a Lubavitcher from Crown Heights who chose to serve as a lone soldier in the IDF, embodied a rare sense of purpose and dedication. He left behind the familiarity of home to stand on the front lines in defense of his people, ultimately making the ultimate sacrifice.

His father, speaking to the attending crowd, noted that “there is no working manual on how to deal with the loss of a child,” laying out his pain and loss for all to see.

Speakers throughout the evening returned to a single, powerful theme: Moshe’s life was one of mission, and his legacy is one of inspiration.

As the crowd stood together in remembrance, the weight of loss was palpable—but so too was a sense of unity and resolve.

The message echoed clearly: Moshe Katz HY”D will never be forgotten.