Hadera Hosts Second Memorial Regatta for Late Captain Yarden Zakai
More than 100 boats participated in the second sailing regatta held in Hadera in memory of Captain Yarden Zakai, a Givati Brigade platoon commander who died from combat wounds.
More than 100 watercraft participated in the second regatta in memory of Captain Yarden Zakai, held at the Hadera Maritime Club. The event brought together sailors, trainees, and teams from sailing clubs and maritime schools across the country, alongside Zakai's family members, comrades-in-arms, and commanders.
Remembering Yarden Zakai
For Zakai, the sea was an integral part of his life. At the age of 12, he joined the Hadera Maritime Club as a trainee and later became an instructor. Over the years, he developed leadership and responsibility skills that accompanied him during his military service as a combat soldier in the Egoz unit and as a platoon commander in the Shaked Battalion of the Givati Brigade.
"There are days when a mother's heart speaks a language that needs no explanation: endless longing, tears, and love that never ends, and also hope that a future will grow out of the pain," said Yafa Zakai, Yarden's mother.
The Regatta and Memorial Ceremony
The event featured a sailing competition with more than 100 boats of various models, including sailboats, snayunits, caravels, catamarans, and kayaks. Participants included members from the Hadera Maritime Club, the Akka Naval Officers School, and other marine clubs.
A memorial ceremony was held at sea, attended by an Israel Navy ship, Zakai's family, his Egoz unit friends, soldiers he commanded, former Chief of Staff Lieutenant General (res.) Herzi Halevi, and Hadera Mayor Nir Ben Haim. Captain Yarden Zakai, 21, from Hadera, succumbed to his wounds on November 1, 2024, after being severely injured by an explosive device in Rafah.
