In Tom's Way

There are students you remember for years, and there are those you carry with you always. Tom Rotshtein was far more to me than a student - he was a magical red-haired boy, with an open heart, a curious gaze, and a genuine love for the journey, for nature, and for the friends around him. This past June, Tom fell in Gaza during the Iron Swords War. The loss is painful, the longing immense, and his absence is felt in every thought of him. On March 20, 2026 - the day Tom was meant to celebrate his birthday - we choose to pause for a moment and come together in Yatir Forest, near Mount Krembo, a place Tom loved deeply. Not for a formal ceremony, but for an event of living remembrance: walking, gathering, conversation, breathing, and connection to the person he was and to what he left behind. This crowdfunding campaign is meant to make this gathering possible - modestly, respectfully, and with love - and to invite everyone Tom touched, directly or indirectly, to take part. Every contribution is not only practical support, but a choice to remember, to continue, and to turn longing into a path forward.