A Long Island Jewish school creates a living memorial to alumnus killed on Oct. 7

This article was produced as part of JTA’s Teen Journalism Fellowship, a program that works with Jewish teens around the world to report on issues that affect their lives.

Hundreds of students, teachers and alumni gathered in the hushed gym of the Schechter School of Long Island on Jan. 24 as the school unveiled a banner with the number 24 and the words “Hero of Israel.”

The ceremony, retiring the basketball jersey of Schechter alumnus Omer Neutra, was the school’s latest effort to remember a beloved soldier killed in the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

The same day, the school on Long Island’s north shore held a Siyum Tanakh in his memory, a tradition in which a community studies chapters of Jewish texts. In Schechter’s case, the community collectively learned all 929 chapters of the Hebrew Bible.

“It is customary in Jewish tradition that when someone passes, the community continues to do mitzvot in their name so that their soul can have an aliyah,” or rise to spiritual heights, explained Esther Dubow, Schechter’s director of Jewish Education and Community Engagement. “This project brought our community together in a meaningful way, and we are still collecting divrei Torah [sermons] from participants to compile into a book dedicated to Omer’s memory.”

Perhaps no institution has felt the weight of Neutra’s loss more than the Schechter School of Long Island, where Neutra was a student from kindergarten through 12th grade. The local Jewish community held its breath for 422 days after Neutra went missing on Oct. 7 and was presumed to be a living hostage in Gaza. Anticipation turned into despair on Dec. 2, when the Israeli military confirmed that Neutra, a tank commander, had been killed on Oct. 7 and his body taken back to Gaza. He was 21. The news devastated the community, which had spent over a year organizing protests, marches and fundraisers advocating for his return.

Since the announcement of his death, the community has mobilized once again — this time to honor Neutra’s legacy and ensure that his values live on.

The school created the Omer Neutra Legacy Fund and Scholarship, which will provide financial support for graduating seniors who choose to spend a gap year in Israel, a path Neutra himself took before enlisting in the Israeli military “Omer was deeply passionate about Israel and the Jewish people,” said Dubow. “This scholarship ensures that his love for the land and its people continues to inspire our students.”

Recognizing Neutra’s impact as a student-athlete and leader, Schechter, along with the help of members of the community, dedicated a new scoreboard in his name and secured funding to enhance athletic facilities and equipment. Starting this year, the school has also introduced a graduation award to recognize a senior who embodies Neutra’s values of selflessness, leadership and inclusion.

For Jonah Resnick, a current Schechter student and athlete, the initiatives have allowed him feel Neutra’s presence, even though he never met Neutra. “I play on the same teams he did and wear the number just above his, number 25,” Resnick said. “Our ceremony at Schechter was an incredible representation of what Omer meant to us. Alumni shared stories that gave us moments of joy in what is an incredibly difficult time.”

Coach Josh Jurysta, Schechter’s athletic director, plans on keeping Neutra’s legacy alive through sports. “Athletics were such a foundational part of Omer’s high school experience. He was captain of most of our teams, always stepping up — whether on the basketball court, volleyball team or even hockey, which he played once just because the team needed an extra player,” Jurysta said. “Since his passing, I’ve shared stories about him with our teams before games. It’s important to keep his memory alive in our gym, on our courts and within our team culture.”

Neutra’s synagogue, Midway Jewish Center in Plainview, has also taken steps to commemorate him. On Feb. 9, the community dedicated a new Torah scroll in his honor, its cover designed by the well-known Judaica artist Jeanette Kuvin Oren. The design features an image of wheat, symbolizing the Hebrew meaning of “omer.”

“The Torah will serve as a symbol of joy, light, and inspiration — a reflection of the life Omer lived, guided by Torah values and a proud Jewish identity,” said the synagogue’s Rabbi Joel Levenson.

During the dedication ceremony at the synagogue, Neutra’s family — his parents, Orna and Ronen, and his brother, Daniel — were joined by Israeli Defense Force reservist and pro-Israel advocate Stav Cohen. Schechter student Shay Ginzburg reflected on how learning the Torah portion Lech Lecha (Genesis 12:1-17:27) in Omer’s memory connected her to the family.

Raised in Plainview by his Israeli-born parents, Omer held dual American-Israeli citizenship. He was accepted into Binghamton University but deferred to spend a gap year in Israel. During his gap year, he decided to move to Israel and enlist in the IDF.

“Being able to embrace the Neutras and share the love of their son with them was a blessing I will never forget,” Ginzburg said to JTA. “This experience has given me the opportunity to connect with a family that shares a similar story to my own, and I urge all who can to support the Neutras in any way they can.”

Midway Jewish Center  has also established a scholarship fund to support Jewish teens pursuing programs that Neutra participated in, including the USY youth group, Israeli Scouts, Camp Ramah and Alexander Muss High School in Israel. “By taking these initiatives we know that Omer’s legacy will live on through the community members and those who share the values and commitment that Omer did,” said Levenson. “Omer’s sacrifice and dedication inspire us to ensure that his memory continues to live on as a source of bravery, courage, and commitment.” 

The banner featuring Neutra’s jersey number will hang in the gym as a permanent memorial. “This serves as a lasting symbol of his vibrant soul and athletic passion,” acting Head of School Ofra Hiltzik said at the ceremony. “Omer’s spirit will always be a presence in our halls and in our hearts.”