Light after loss: A son born to the widow of fallen hero Saadia Deri, z"l

A son was born last night (Monday) to Rachel Deri, the widow of Senior Sergeant First Class (Res.) Saadia Deri, z"l, who fell heroically in battle in Gaza. The newborn joins Rachel’s two other children, bringing a flicker of joy amid profound sorrow.

“On the 26th of Shvat 5785, eight months after his passing, in the midst of great darkness, a great light arrived,” Rachel wrote after the birth. “We are overjoyed and thrilled to announce the birth of our sweet son—Saadia, Rachel, Halleli, and Yinon Shaul Deri.”

Saadia’s mother and grandmother, Lili Deri, shared her own heartfelt words: “And so it began… or perhaps even earlier. Yesterday, a son was born to Saadia, of blessed memory, and to Rachel—may she be blessed with a long, good, and joyful life. At the brit milah, we will say, ‘By your blood, you shall live.’ Live, our Rachel, live—surrounded by Halleli, Yinon Shaul, and your son, a gift from heaven. A gift from Saadia, who even in his death looked after you and us. An eye weeps bitterly, yet the heart rejoices.”

Rachel discovered she was pregnant just after rising from the shiva—the seven-day mourning period—for her husband. At first, she kept it private, later confiding in Saadia’s reserve unit comrades, who vowed to honor his final wish: to care for her and their children.

Rachel shared her story in an interview with Channel 13 News a few days ago: “Even when they came to inform me [of his death], I had a strong feeling I was pregnant, and I found out it was true the very next day. I didn’t know how to process it. I had just gotten up from mourning him, and suddenly I learned I was carrying life from him. Everything hit me with such intense force.

“I feel like he knew this would be what keeps me going,” she added. “We’d talked about wanting more children. This is how he left me one last piece of himself.”

Lili Deri’s words capture the duality of this moment: a family shattered yet growing, a nation mourning yet enduring. The birth of this child, named in part for his father, arrives as a poignant symbol of resilience—a “gift from heaven” amid the unrelenting pain of loss.