Ori’s Story
Ori, the son of Sigal and Yossi, was born on the 19th of January, 2001 (25th of Tevet, 5761) in Tel Aviv.
When he was born, Sigal, his mother, was moved by the light that radiated from his large and wise eyes, and she decided to name him “Ori” – my light.
Ori, the youngest of the family, grew up to be a handsome boy, with a dimple and curls. He was raised and educated in Holon. He attended “Nitzanim” elementary school, where he was a beloved student surrounded by friends. Even as a child, he was kind-hearted and sensitive to others. His mother, Sigal, said: “When someone was being ostracized, Ori stood by their side. He always pursued justice.” Later, he went on to middle school and high school at “Campus Kiryat Sharet”. He excelled in his studies, majored in sports, and was revealed to be a gifted basketball player. In his free time, he loved reading books, drawing beautiful anime illustrations, and meeting up with friends at “Gan Sipur” park, near their home.
Ori was very close to his older brothers, Shai and Nir. He loved sitting on the porch for hours, talking with them, sharing everything that was going on in his life and his plans for the future. They wrote: “Ori is a philosopher. He loves getting to the depths of things. Sometimes a lizard would appear on the porch, and though Mom has an atomic phobia of lizards, Ori, who loves all living creatures, would gently remove Luna, his cat, and carefully pick up the lizard, taking it down to ‘Gan Sipur’ behind the building and placing it on one of the trees.”
Ori loved animals deeply. Above his bed stood three lions, “symbolizing his connection to the king of the jungle, to power, strength, and the aspiration to go far,” as written in the book that tells his life story. “A small hole in the door tells a big story of sensitivity and endless love for animals. Ori drilled the hole in the door to allow his cat to come in and out of his room even when the door was closed. That was Ori – every little detail was important to him.”
After finishing high school, Ori set new goals for himself. His whole life, he absorbed Zionism at home, was proud of the ranks his family members received from the IDF, and aspired to serve in a meaningful role. As a self-aware young man who knew his abilities, he trained for enlistment and arrived at the moment of truth prepared and in top shape.
Ori enlisted in the army and served in a classified unit within the intelligence corps.
In September 2022, he was discharged from the army, and a month later, he was already on a flight with friends. For months, he traveled through Europe, visiting places like Berlin, Sofia, and Milan, as well as Sinai in Egypt and Petra in Jordan. From there, he continued on to a four-month trip to the Far East – Thailand, Vietnam, and South Korea, where he flew to further develop his talent for drawing and to learn about anime culture.
Over the years, Ori adorned his body with various tattoos. He had a smiley tattoo on his wrist, the Chinese yin and yang symbol above his elbow, an image of a Vietnamese farmer on his left arm, and a dragon on his back.
In September 2023, Ori returned to Israel and began planning for the future. Ori was very methodical. First, he studied for the psychometric exam and received a score of 700, to everyone’s pride. He also made a detailed plan for further trips and studies, hanging these plans on the wall of his room. He registered for a bachelor’s degree program, and in October 2023, he was supposed to start studying psychology and economics at Tel Aviv University. Until the start of his studies, he spent his time working as a bartender at parties, loving music of all kinds.