PARIS (EJP)--- The head of the Paris consistoire has paid tribute to one of the three French-born Israeli soldiers killed during IDF operations in Lebanon last Saturday.

Yohan Zerbib, who was among the 24 IDF soldiers who died in south Lebanon at the weekend, immigrated to Israel from France two years ago.

On Sunday the Jewish community of Creteil, southern Paris, honoured the memory of the 22-year-old Zerbib.

Communal mourning

“This boy was like my son” Joel Mergui, head of the Paris consistoire and close friend of the Zerbib family told EJP on Sunday. “Yohan was my son’s best friend and they were supposed to immigrate to Israel at the same time.”

“Yohan was so courageous,” added Mergui, who was extremely moved by the young man’s death. “I spoke to him on the phone a few days ago, on his 22nd birthday, and he seemed very determined to continue his duty and fight Hezbollah. He’s not only an Israeli hero but a hero of the whole Jewish people.”

Jewish education

Zerbib was originally from Montrouge, a suburb in the south of Paris.

He went to the Yavne Jewish school in Paris and moved to Israel in 2004 where he enrolled in the army. After completing his military service Yohan Zerbib settled in Tel-Aviv for his studies. He was called-up as reserve soldier to serve in Lebanon.

‘’Yohan was so funny. He was the guy that always laughed and told jokes,’’said one of Yohan’s friends from high school to the French Jewish radio

His parents, Gerard and Nanu, reached Israel on Sunday evening and the funeral took place the next daya at1 pm in presence of Zeev Boim, the Israeli minister of integration.

The two other IDF soldiers killed on Saturday originally from France were 26-year-old Daniel Gomez who came from Bordeaux and 21-year-old Jonathan Ankonina whose family now lives in Netanya.