In truth, Israel and Kazakhstan have maintained diplomatic relations for decades

Photo: Flash90

IT was a deeply emotional moment for Israel as the remains of Lt. Hadar Goldin, the young soldier killed as a ceasefire took hold at the end of Operation Protective Edge in 2014, were returned on Sunday. His long-awaited return was part of the ceasefire agreement that followed the war ignited by Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attacks.

Here are five things to know about the Goldin case:

1 — The day the ceasefire was broken

On August 1, 2014, just an hour after a US and UN-brokered ceasefire took effect, Hamas gunmen emerged from a tunnel in Rafiach and attacked an Israeli unit dismantling the group’s underground network. Three soldiers were killed, among them 23-year-old Lt. Hadar Goldin of the Givati Brigade. His body was dragged into the tunnel, and within hours the ceasefire collapsed. What began as a brief truce became one of the most painful chapters in Israel’s history with Hamas — one that would stretch over 11 years.

2 — Eleven years of waiting and advocacy

For more than a decade, Hadar’s parents, Leah and Simcha Goldin, led a relentless campaign to bring their son home. They met with world leaders, spoke at the United Nations, and accused Israeli governments of complacency. “We fought for three values,” Leah often said, “camaraderie, human dignity, and the belief that Israel does not abandon its soldiers.” Their struggle kept Hadar’s name in the national consciousness and turned his case into a moral touchstone for Israel’s military ethos.

3 — The return from Gaza

On November 9, 2025, the Israel Defense Forces confirmed that Hamas had returned Goldin’s remains through the Red Cross. Forensic scientists at the Abu Kabir Institute later verified his identity. Hamas claimed the body was recovered from a tunnel in Rafiach — the same area where Goldin was last seen in 2014. On Monday it was reported that for the past 11 years, there were a handful of Hamas terrorists who knew exactly where Goldin was buried, and Israel refrained from eliminating them so as not to let the trail go cold. Turkish and American mediation reportedly played a role in securing the transfer, marking the end of one of Israel’s longest hostage ordeals. Four deceased hostages still remain in Gaza.

4 — The political and emotional aftershocks

The announcement of Goldin’s return drew statements from across Israel’s political spectrum. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said he had “vowed never to give up” on bringing Goldin and other missing soldiers home. President Yitzhak Herzog called Goldin a “hero of Israel” and praised his family’s “unwavering strength.” Former IDF chief Gadi Eisenkot, who led the army during the 2014 war, admitted the process had “taken far too long.” For many Israelis, it was a moment of grief mixed with a sense of national redemption.

5 — The legacy of a fallen idealist

Before the war, Hadar Goldin was an artist, musician, and youth counselor. He was known for his warmth and quiet idealism, and was engaged to be married. In the years since his death, schools and premilitary academies have been founded in his name, teaching leadership and unity. His story has become more than a military tragedy — it is a meditation on some of Israel’s most important values: loyalty, sacrifice, and the unbreakable promise to bring every soldier home.

The New Partner     

When it was announced that Kazakhstan would be the latest country to join the Abraham Accords, more than a few people had to pull up a map. The news sounded grand — a new Muslim-majority nation joining the normalization agreements with Israel — but in truth, Israel and Kazakhstan have maintained diplomatic relations for decades. Still, Washington’s move seemed designed to show that the Abraham Accords are not a relic of the Trump era, but a living initiative, especially ahead of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to Washington on November 18.

And yet, it would be wrong to underestimate Kazakhstan, one of the largest and wealthiest countries in Central Asia.

To understand what this new development means for the country’s small but enduring Jewish community, we spoke with Israeli-born Rabbi Yeshaya Cohen, the Chief Rabbi of Kazakhstan.

How did you react to the news that Kazakhstan would be joining the Abraham Accords?

When I heard President Trump’s announcement, I said to myself, It’s exciting, but it’s not surprising. Because to make peace, you need a nation that educates for peace  — and that’s deeply rooted in Kazakhstan’s DNA. The government invests heavily in education, and peace is a real value here.

In fact, diplomatic relations between Israel and Kazakhstan go back to 1992, two years before I even arrived. But what makes this moment special is the timing. After the upheavals we’ve seen since Simchas Torah 2023, this declaration feels both important and refreshing. It’s a statement that Kazakhstan not only maintains its relationship with Israel but intends to strengthen it even further.

After October 7, Jewish communities around the world faced hostility. What was the situation in Kazakhstan?

On a local level, people here don’t tolerate anti-Semitism or provocations. There was a wave of online agitation, yes — but when we looked into it, experts confirmed that most of it came from outside the country, not from Kazakh society itself.

Someone once approached me on the street and said something anti-Semitic. Immediately, a group of Kazakhs stepped in to defend me. They asked, “Why are you saying this?” I saw many such moments — people rejecting hate because it simply doesn’t fit their culture.

How large is the Jewish community today?

Around 20,000 Jews, scattered across this enormous country — the ninth largest in the world. In Almaty, where I live, there are a few thousand.

How did you end up there?

There’s been a Jewish presence in Almaty for many generations. It’s the burial place of the father of the last Lubavitcher Rebbe. In 1994, a friend called me and said that, given the Rebbe’s health situation, it was time to strengthen Jewish life everywhere. I wanted to find a place without a permanent Chabad presence.

At the time, I was in Israel for a family simchah, but studying at 770 in New York. When I checked, I saw there was no shaliach in Almaty. Honestly, I didn’t even know exactly where it was — only that it had a connection to the Rebbe’s family. I arrived when I was 22, not yet married.

When my father called that he had a shidduch for me. I told him I’d only leave to meet her if the girl was willing to live in Almaty. She was. We married and moved here.

How would you describe the relationship between Jews and locals?

As soon as I came to Almaty, I realized that the culture here is one of patience and peace. It’s not superficial; it’s in the Kazakh character.

There’s something symbolic, too: Kazakhstan’s Independence Day is December 16 — usually around Chanukah. A few years ago, after a big community event, I asked our members what message they wanted me to send to the president. They told me: Thank him for the peace.

Kazakhstan, they said, is the only country of the former Soviet Union that has never had a conflict with its neighbors — unlike Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, or Kyrgyzstan. That’s not a coincidence. It reflects a national spirit — one of remarkable patience and peace.

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 1086)