Fallen soldier’s gifts live on in SA baby’s name

Half a year after Israeli soldier Staff Sergeant Nitai Metodi (23) fell in battle in Gaza, his legacy continues in South Africa, where his mother and grandparents lived before they made aliya decades ago.

In Johannesburg, Tali and Elchanan Nudelman decided to bestow their newborn son with an everlasting gift: they named him Nitai, after Nitai Metodi and two other fallen soldiers in the war. The baby was born on 23 January 2025, five months to the day since his namesake died in defence of the Jewish people.

“After the tragic events of 7 October, when we lost so many of our brothers and sisters, we wanted to honour the brave soldiers who gave their lives for our homeland and Jewish nation,” said Elchanan at his son’s bris on 30 January.

“Among them were three soldiers named Nitai, all of whom paid the ultimate price defending eretz Yisrael: Nitai Metodi; Nitai Meisels; and Nitai Amar,” said Elchanan. “We dedicate this name to them and to all the brave soldiers and civilians who lost their lives.”

The name Nitai roughly translated from Hebrew means “my gift”, and soon after their son arrived, the Nudelmans reached out to the late Nitai Metodi’s mother, Lara, in Israel, to give her the gift of learning that a new soul was carrying her son’s name.

Responding to the couple, Lara wrote, “Thank you. I have broken down [in tears]. This story has touched me like no other. We chose his name from the Bible, and Nitai lived up to each and every responsibility that was bestowed on him from his name. Our light was taken, but through beautiful stories [like yours], some light has been restored. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, and may G-d and my Nitai protect you all.” They also exchanged photos of their beloved sons.

Speaking to the SA Jewish Report from her home in Ashkelon, Lara says, “If Tali and Elchanan get even half the nachas from their son that my Nitai gave me, they will be the happiest parents in the world.”

Elchanan says he and Tali first came across the relatively rare name when they began learning Pirkei Avot together every Shabbat afternoon. It’s there that Nitai of Arbel is described as an important leader. They loved the name.

Then, they saw the name in other meaningful contexts, even though it was unusual. But it was after reading about the death of Nitai Metodi in the SA Jewish Report that they realised the name was destined for their son. Not only did the late Nitai have South African roots, but he lived with menschlichkeit, leadership, warmth, and wisdom beyond his years – all qualities they hoped their son would emulate.

“In Pirkei Avot, Nitai of Arbel teaches the importance of distancing oneself from negative influences and serving Hashem with joy,” says Elchanan. “This resonated with us, and was something we knew we wanted to instil in our son – to walk through life with integrity, joy, and a clear sense of purpose.”

Lara says that after the Nudelmans reached out to her, she called her ex-husband to tell him that a baby in Johannesburg had been named after their son, and “we just sobbed”.

As she approaches six months since her son’s death, she says it’s still surreal that he’s gone. “I think I felt that Nitai was invincible, especially because he was on the battlefield multiple times since the first days of the war,” she says. On 7 October, Nitai rushed back to Israel from holiday in Australia to enlist in the reserves. Since that day, he returned to military service three times, putting his country above all else.

“He would always tell me nothing was wrong, that he was just on guard duty,” Lara says. “He didn’t tell me he was actually going on missions to find the hostages.”

Her son was killed in an explosion in Gaza City, alongside two other soldiers. Now, every day, Lara faces her own battle to go on living without him. The owner of a busy Pilates studio in Ashkelon, she has to make a conscious effort to get through her day. Her other son is also finding it particularly hard, as “Nitai was his best friend”, and her parents are heartbroken at the loss of their vibrant, adored grandson.

Sharing who Nitai was and what he stood for is now her most important mission. “That’s what I promised Nitai,” she says. With her strong personality and celebrity status in Israel as a previous participant on the Big Brother TV show, she will stop at nothing to make sure her son’s light continues to shine.

She has worked with an Israeli TV station to make a documentary about Nitai that will air soon. In addition, Nitai’s friends are making a movie about him, and he will be featured on a podcast. Murals of fallen soldiers and 7 October victims are being painted on bomb shelters across the country, and Lara hopes Nitai’s mural will soon be on a shelter at the entrance to their hometown of Ashkelon.

Unlike some other parents of fallen soldiers, Lara says she isn’t angry with the army, as her son believed in what they were fighting for. She dreams of addressing Jewish audiences around the world, sharing Nitai’s story, and encouraging them to make aliya, as she feels that Israel is where all Jews ultimately belong.

“Nitai was such a mensch,” says Lara. “So many people looked up to him. He was a leader, he was patient, and he talked to everyone on the same level. He had no airs and graces. He was my mentor – he was the one who taught me things, not the other way round.”

To the Nudelmans, she says, “My Nitai was truly a blessing: he was generous, kind, and never had a bad word to say about anyone. He could change any situation into a positive one with his presence. May G-d protect and grant your precious son all these gifts.”