Voices of Valor: A Special Broadcast Honoring Israel’s Heroes for Memorial Day

Tuesday, 29 April 2025 | As Israel marks Memorial Day and Independence Day, a powerful global ceremony pays tribute to the heroes of October 7, celebrates the resilience of survivors and spotlights international allies who stood firmly with Israel.

Produced by Ynet Global, ILTV News and Israel+, the emotional event features exclusive tributes, inspiring panels and a special address by President Isaac Herzog, uniting voices of courage from across the world.

Airing across all three platforms, the event paid tribute to the heroes of October 7, the defenders of Israel and courageous individuals—Jewish and non-Jewish—who have stood up for Zionism and against antisemitism over the past 18 months.

Panels included stories of survival and resilience from the October 7 attacks, the efforts of Israeli humanitarian organizations and voices from around the world who have defended Israel and fought antisemitism.

During the broadcast, Maj. Gen. (res.) Noam Tibon shares his extraordinary story of heroism. After receiving a desperate message from his son during the October 7 attacks, Tibon embarks on a daring mission to rescue his family trapped in Kibbutz Nahal Oz. Facing armed terrorists, he fights alongside soldiers, evacuates wounded troops and ultimately clears the kibbutz [collective community] of dozens of attackers—culminating in the emotional moment he reunites with his son and granddaughters.

"From the first minute, I realized that if I didn’t act, no one else would. I was on a mission to rescue my family and everyone I met along the way. When everything collapsed that day, great people gave everything to save so many lives—I salute all of them. Around this table, you see the DNA of Israel: nobody gets left behind. My only wish on Israel’s 77th Independence Day is for all the hostages to come home." 

Farmer Oz Davidian, who was at the Nova music festival, describes his relentless efforts to rescue civilians under fire. Despite the constant threat of terrorists, he drives back and forth into the attack zone nearly 15 times, risking his life repeatedly to evacuate wounded festivalgoers and teenagers to safety.

"Every time I rescued a group of smiling, happy children, I immediately received the location of another group. That drove me to keep going back, despite encountering terrorists along the way," he said.

"The hostages—they have spent a year and a half in tunnels. May they all return safely. We are a nation of heroes. Our unity was revealed in the hardest days, and only together are we strong."

Major Sargent Ramo Alhuzeil, a police officer and October 7 hero, recounts his role defending civilians at the Nova festival. Although under heavy fire and despite his family's pleas for him to return home, he remains on the battlefield for hours, driven by a deep sense of duty and a commitment to protect and serve. Together, the three heroes reflect on the Israeli spirit of solidarity, courage and their shared wish for the safe return of all hostages still held in Gaza.

"I wish for all the hostages to come back home to their families. October 7 proved that everyone—Bedouin, Druze and Jewish—fought shoulder to shoulder," Alhuzeil said.

Economy Minister Nir Barkat highlighted Israel’s efforts to expand international trade and outlined new reforms aimed at strengthening economic ties with the United States, India, the Far East and Europe.

"Right now, we are negotiating with the United States. India is very interested, as are countries across the Far East, including Thailand and Japan. Even the United Kingdom wants to take part," he said. 

"We are launching new reforms—what is good for Europe is good for Israel, and what is good for us is good for Israel—all aimed at expanding free trade. Our goal is for Israeli exports to reach US $1 billion within 20 years. To meet current challenges, Israel needs to bring in 150,000 foreign workers."

Barkat also emphasized that Iran must not be allowed to obtain nuclear weapons, adding that Israel remains fully synchronized with the United States on the issue.

The Democrats Party Chairman Yair Golan emphasized the urgent need to prioritize the return of the 59 hostages still held in Gaza. Golan also addressed the broader regional challenges, including Israel’s strategy toward Hamas and Iran.

"The fate of the 59 hostages is the most crucial issue for maintaining our national solidarity," Golan said. "The only way to secure the release of all the hostages is by ending the war—even if it means living alongside Hamas on the path toward a shared future."

On Iran, Golan said, "The JCPOA [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action] was a good enough agreement for Israel. Israel should have kept it alive and worked with the United States and the international community to prepare for a better agreement, while simultaneously making military preparations to deal with Iran." 

Families of hostages who were murdered by Hamas on October 7 shared emotional testimonies during the Voices of Valor ceremony, reflecting on their loved ones' lives and the mission they have taken upon themselves to ensure their memories endure.

Rachel and Jon Goldberg-Polin, parents of slain hostage Hersch Goldberg-Polin:

Jon: "We make sure that no other family meets the end that we met. That’s what Hersch would have done."

Rachel: "We are walking a tightrope, sharing his story while being his biggest fans—not sharing something too embarrassing. Both of us learned that when you do something you believe in, there’s no second-guessing. The clarity of purpose and mission has taken over who we are. What the hostage families are doing is such a righteous mission. That mission and clarity are something I never had before."

Ronen and Orna Neutra, parents of slain hostage Omer Neutra, an IDF officer: "Omer was born and raised in New York. As he grew up, he became very charismatic and attracted many friends but never took it for granted. He always saw what brought people together. Since we received the news that Omer was taken hostage on October 7, we realized we had a duty to bring the plight of the hostages to the public. That’s what we’ve been focused on," Orna said.

Ronen: "Omer grew up with the understanding that Israel is crucial for the Jewish people. Although he was admitted to college in New York, we thought it would be better for him to learn about his roots. He chose to spend a gap year in Israel and fell in love with the people and the country. He couldn’t see himself going to college while his friends had to serve in the army, so he chose to become a lone soldier." 

A special panel featured Nimrod Palmach, an IDF soldier and CEO of Israel, Nova Music festival co-organizer Rami Shmueli; and Rita Yedid, a survivor who attended the Nova music festival with several family members.

Palmach recounted his decision to defy orders and drive south to rescue civilians under fire. "I realized I'm about to die today. It wasn’t a question of if, but when. I left a goodbye message for my kids and decided my only mission was to help others," Palmach said.

"There’s another front—not just Gaza and Lebanon—but the fight for truth around the world. That’s why we created the Survive to Tell VR project, bringing the Nova festival and the kibbutzim into American campuses."

Yedid shared her story of survival on October 7. "Lying under my husband for over six hours and holding my sister's hand, I realized we might not make it home. Surviving that day gave me a mission: to share my story and strengthen others," she said.

"I didn’t know that by speaking out, I could help others feel stronger. Therapy from day one saved me, and now I am a motivational speaker committed to helping others heal."

Naama, a Nova festival staff member who survived after being shot and hiding in a garbage dumpster, was saved at the last possible moment. Rita recalls holding her hand and trying to comfort her while she was gravely wounded.

Major General (res.) Doron Almog, chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel, delivered a poignant address, reflecting on the profound losses endured by his family and the nation. Almog, a decorated IDF commander and recipient of the Israel Prize for lifetime achievement, has faced personal tragedy, including the loss of his brother Eran during the Yom Kippur War and five relatives in the 2003 Maxim restaurant bombing in Haifa.

Almog noted the gravity of the current crisis:​ "This is the biggest crisis since the establishment of the State of Israel and the biggest crisis of the Jewish people since the Second World War," he said.​

He underscored the necessity of unity and mutual responsibility:​ "Victory is about unity. It’s about mutual responsibility. We must fight with an unconditional commitment to bring the hostages home."​

Almog also highlighted the spirit of sacrifice embodied by Israeli soldiers:​ "We must have the spirit of our soldiers—unconditional love, the readiness to give our lives. This is the spirit of the State of Israel."​ 

Looking forward, he shared his vision for strengthening the nation:​ "My dream is to bring 1 million Jews to Israel within five years, to strengthen our people with new blood and new spirit."​

Concluding his remarks, Almog expressed pride in his role and dedication to the Jewish people:​ "I'm proud to be Israeli. I'm very proud to be chairman of the Jewish Agency and to continue the legacy of the founders of the State of Israel."

During the broadcast, Matan Yaffe, entrepreneur and co-founder of the reservist movement El Hadegel, described how his experience at Harvard University led him to file a lawsuit against the institution over its handling of antisemitism.

"We must fight antisemitism as if Israel is the perfect place, and fight to perfect Israel as if there is no antisemitism," he said. "If I were a young Jewish student without an Israeli backbone, I would have been terrified. That’s why we must fight—and continue fighting."

Eden Yadegar, a student at Columbia University, offered a stark account of campus life for Jewish students, highlighting the demonstrations, intimidation and ideological "litmus tests" questioning their ties to Israel.

"At Columbia, you’re only welcome if you denounce your connection to Israel. But despite the hate, the Jewish community has never been stronger," she said. "We are proud Jews, wearing our Magen Davids [Star of David], standing up for Israel and for truth."

Prof. Shai Davidai, assistant professor at Columbia Business School, spoke about the profound disappointment he felt over the silence of Columbia’s leadership and his colleagues since his expulsion from campus in October 2024.

"When you see hate up close—real, raw hate—not politics, not ideology—you realize you must speak out. Silence is not an option," he said. "My colleagues didn’t stand by me. They just stood by."

Ambassador Alan Baker, senior fellow at the Jerusalem Center for Foreign and Security Affairs and former Israeli ambassador to Canada, framed the wave of antisemitism on American campuses within a legal context, emphasizing its violations of state, federal and international law. "Campus antisemitism today openly violates federal and state law. Universities must be held accountable—without hesitation," he explained.

Jonathan Davis, vice president of external relations and head of the Raphael Recanati International School at Reichman University, discussed how Reichman has become a refuge for displaced Jewish students. "Reichman University is a city of refuge. We proudly stand for Zionism, for freedom and for the students the world tries to silence," he said.

New media voices such as Eylon Levy and Emily Austin discussed the fight for Israel’s image online. 

Levy, an Israeli media personality and former government spokesperson, reflected on the challenges of representing Israel internationally amid a hostile information landscape. Drawing from his experience defending Israel on the world stage during the current war against Hamas, Levy offered sharp insights into the global "war of narratives," the handling of the hostage crisis, and the deep choices now facing Israeli society.

"Israel is difficult to explain because we are often characters in stories that others are telling about themselves, not about us," he said. "We won't convert the entire world to be pro–Israel—but we can and must shift public opinion in democratic societies to stand with us.

"The real question is not what price Israel should pay to free the hostages—it’s what price Hamas’s state sponsors should pay if they don't release them."

Organizers said the event aimed to not only remember and honor the fallen, but also inspire strength and solidarity as the Jewish state navigates an uncertain future.