"The Light in Your Heart Will Win": A Memorial Project in Memory of the Late Sergeant Noa Price

Noa Price, daughter of Sigal and Erez from the settlement of Me'vim, was a young woman who radiated light and color wherever she went. She was a rare combination of strength and sensitivity; on the one hand, "beautiful inside and out, moral and modest," and on the other, "a clear fighter for justice who leaves no room for doubt."

Noa loved to study and was an excellent student, and while studying, she was active in the "Agricultural Union" youth movement as a trainee and instructor. Noa was considered by her friends in the movement to be "a source of joy and courage."

For her friends, she was "an anchor, a listening ear, and a source of endless support and love." A close friend, Yoni, wrote about her words that encapsulate her special spirit:

"Thanks to Noa, I am able to dream big, she ignited in me a fire of passion, of faith and hope. Noa was like that – she built cities and palaces of aspirations and peaks... In her head, she already saw how and where and how she would plant the flag at the top of her own private Everest."

Noa enlisted in the IDF on January 23, 2022. During her military service as an observer in Nahal Oz, Noa stood out for her professionalism and resilience. In the Nahal Oz military unit, she performed her role with pride and professionalism and was a leading and respected figure. She chose to forgo a command course to remain in the company with her friends, out of full belief in the importance of the role. At the end of the training, her commander gave her her personal beret with the dedication that has become most associated with her: "The light in your heart will overcome every obstacle on the way to the goal."

As she pledged at the beginning of her career, Noa mentored and mentored those who came after her, supported and strengthened her friends in times of difficulty, and was the confident voice of the rotation towards the command. Noa stood out thanks to her joy of life, humor, caring, and sensitivity to others, and contributed greatly to the life and life between shifts.

On the morning of October 7, 2023, Noa remained "Noa" until the last moment. Despite fear and helplessness, she maintained exemplary composure, hugged, supported, and reassured her friends in a shelter at the Nahal Oz base, until she fell, aged only 20. Noa was killed just minutes after writing to her family "I don't know what will happen, but I love you."

She left behind big dreams to travel the world, learn, and do good - and an unwritten will to continue spreading her light among other young women at the beginning of their journeys.

A poem written in her memory by her cousin reads: "Your eyes closed, our hearts fell silent. Your dreams and ours were lost too."

The connection to the project: Dare to dream, succeed in achieving

Noa fell just three months before her release from the IDF. She had precise plans for what would happen next: to travel the East, see a Taylor Swift performance, and study a profession that would help her "do good in the world." Her father Erez eulogized her: "You wanted to devour life and you had precise plans for this... You didn't give up, even and especially when it was difficult."

The project to support lone female discharged soldiers, in partnership with the Lone Soldier Center in memory of Micahel Levin, was born to give young women at the beginning of their civilian careers what Noa was to those around her: the strength to dare to aim high despite the difficulties.

A lone soldier discharged from the IDF faces her own "private Everest" without a family support system. The project aims to be their anchor, to help them overcome the obstacles along the way and to give them the confidence to fulfill themselves - in their studies, careers and building their future.

The goal of the project is to ease the financial burden placed on lone discharged female soldiers, who lack a family background, through "living scholarships" and is designed to ensure that financial hardship does not constitute a barrier to success and fulfillment.

We invite you to take part in commemorating Noa, and to ensure that even if Noa's dreams were cut short, her spirit will continue to ignite a fire of passion and faith in the hearts of discharged female soldiers. Together, we will help them shine.