Sgt. First Class (res.) Joseph Gitarts, 25, an American-Russian-Israeli citizen from Tel Aviv, was killed on December 25 while battling Hamas in southern Gaza.
Joseph was called up for reserve duty on October 7. When his unit, the 7029 Armored Battalion of the 179th Brigade, were informed that their battalion would soon enter Gaza, he wrote a letter to his parents to be delivered to them in case he did not return alive. He sent half of the link of a Google doc to his girlfriend in Russia and the second half of the link to his brother in Israel, instructing both to send the information they had to his mother in case he died.
The letter is read by Joseph’s father Yakov Gitarts.
Dear Mom and Dad, I love you very much. Everything is as it should be.
I choose this path myself. I have lived a good and interesting life. I have never been afraid of death.
If there is no distinction in terms of the present moment between something that happened a minute ago and 10 years ago, then in 70 years there will be no difference in my death either.
We live in a four dimensional world, so future events already exist just as Moscow exists when we are in Israel.
I have always been a bit surprised by the amount of importance people attribute to death. I could have stayed back and hidden, but that would go against everything I believe in and value, and who I consider myself to be.
So I had no choice and would have made the same decision if I could choose again.
I made the decision myself and carried it through to the end.
I left with honor for my people. I have no regrets.
I love you very much and I am proud that you are my parents.
You have given me so much. I have had a very interesting, fulfilling, happy and unique life.
My death only underscores that.
I am absolutely contented that I have lived unique 25 years instead of 80 ordinary ones.
I am not like everyone. I am stronger. Thanks to you, I am this way.
It must be very painful for you, but you will get through this. I really wish for that. That's the most important thing for me. Both of you have many close people who will support you. Please find something positive in all of this.
Take care of the grandchildren. Support Israel.
I am OK.
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Producer: Nina Verzhbolovich
Video Editor: Denis Tseitlin
Music: David Bowie - Space Oddity (Piano Cover by Josh Cohen)
'Take care of the grandchildren. Support Israel. I am OK.'