Getting to Know the Person in the Poster—Omer Neutra

As we go through life, there are people we meet that are special and have the ability to bring a group together. It could be their energy, their demeanor, their smile, their laugh, or the ability to understand others more deeply. There’s a warmth around them that people are drawn to. The best example I have of someone who embodies this is Omer. For over 100 days now you’ve probably seen his face, but hopefully in writing this I can provide a full sense of who he is as a friend. 

From USY international convention in Orlando.

From the moment I met Omer in 8th grade at my first USY event I could see the impact that he had on others. We were placed in the same host house, and although he already knew a lot of people from school, when I was around him, I never felt like an outsider, and I was immediately welcomed with open arms into his group of friends. That started a friendship with a group of people that I now consider closer to brothers than friends with Omer, of course, in the center of it all. As we moved through high school, Omer always made an effort to get to know every new face he saw. He was our President, first at the divisional and then the regional level;  a true leader in every sense of the word. 

We went on to spend two summers together as counselors at Camp Ramah in Nyack. Omer, as a lifeguard, was always spreading his exuberant joy to his campers. When the campers went home, we would get up to whatever antics we would think up for the night, our only care being whether we would be up in time for breakfast. 

Omer and I are both from Long Island so we would often hangout on the weekends. We both love sports, and it was always a great time to share our passion and just laugh together. Looking back, they were simple and wonderful times. The times you can take for granted until something as life altering as October 7th happens.

With Omer at the beach.

As high school was coming to a close and all our friends were deciding on what colleges we would attend, Omer was different. He decided to take a gap year in Israel before he said he would attend Binghamton University. To his friends this did not come as a shock as we knew how deeply his roots in Israel mattered to him. After that year he decided not to come back to the US for college and instead enlisted in the IDF as a Lone Soldier. He loves the country, his homeland, the place that his parents are from, and he cared so deeply that he chose to stay and defend it. 

When I last saw Omer it was in Israel less than a year ago. The first time I saw him he described how he’d be extending his service, taking on a greater leadership position in his unit. I could see his pride and excitement and I could tell how much this meant to him. He had his purpose, his place, and his people. The next time I saw him it was on Yom Ha'atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day. We took to the streets of the Shuk, dancing and singing throughout the night and ending up on the beach. I look back at a video I have of him that night often, an Israeli flag tucked behind his ear as he sang along with everyone to the music.

I don’t want that to be the last memory I have with him. I don’t want that hug goodbye on the beach that night to be our last. I want to see his smile again and hear his laugh. I want to talk about the Knicks with him and make stupid jokes. I want Omer home. His family and friends want him home. Need him home. While I’m writing this, he’s been a hostage for 119 days, and that kind of suffering is unimaginable. We all love him and pray for him every day. 

Bring Omer home now. Bring them all home now.

Hayden Roth, friend of Omer Neutra