Simon Shalumov

About

Simon was born in Kazakhstan on October 29, 2003, in the city of Almaty. This area is known for its special beauty, with magnificent mountains, lakes, and steppes. Simon was also blessed with a special beauty; his mother called him "our ray of sunshine."

In his childhood, Simon was a smiling and very active child. In elementary school, he was impulsive and mischievous, but he was also responsible and independent in all his choices. He chose his basketball team on his own and participated in children's competitions, and later youth competitions. He was talented in both mathematics and the humanities. He excelled in many areas of interest such as chess and French.

He had not yet turned 14 when he came to Israel alone as part of the "NA'ALE" program. Although he did not pass the screening the first time due to his age, he wrote an appeal himself to be accepted into the program. In 2017, he achieved his goal because he was very purposeful and aspired to realize all his dreams.

Simon was accepted into the Meir Shfeya Youth Village and studied together with children from various countries of the former Soviet Union (Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Latvia, and also from Kazakhstan). Simon loved Israel and saw it as his new home. He was interested in the history of Israel and in current affairs. Simon was very friendly.

His housemother, Ruti Ezra, noted that he integrated excellently into Israeli society. He did not stop pursuing his previous hobbies and also developed new hobbies - trips around the country, soccer, and running. Simon even participated in races as part of the Shfeya running team. Out of several types of work available in the village, he chose to work in the cowshed. He managed to combine studies, work, and participation in the social life of the school well. He was always ready to help friends and teachers.

After finishing school, Simon participated in the "Arel" pre-military preparatory program for six months. There he finally decided to enlist in the Paratroopers Brigade. He prepared intensively for the tryouts (gibush). The gibush was not easy, but Simon managed to complete it because it was very important to him.

On April 7, 2022, he enlisted in the IDF as a lone soldier and served in the 202nd Battalion of the Paratroopers Brigade. He became very close friends with his team members. During the fighting in the "Swords of Iron War," he clearly understood how important they were to him and therefore was with them until the end.

It was important for him to help people. He was always full of joie de vivre and had a good sense of humor. His eyes radiated joy with a "twinkle." In any situation, even when something did not go as planned, he did not despair and was not broken. If you want to describe his life in one sentence: his life was vibrant, he tasted life to the fullest and enjoyed every moment.

Simon's life ended prematurely on February 18, 2024, in battles in Khan Yunis. He was 20 years old when he fell.