Corporal Dan Mandel Philipson, a 19-year-old lone soldier from Norway, died on Sunday, five days after a suicide attempt during his basic training with the IDF’s 202nd Paratroopers Brigade, the Israel Defense Forces announced.
Philipson immigrated to Israel less than a year ago through the Mahal program, which allows Jewish and non-Israeli volunteers to serve in the IDF.
He resided at Kibbutz Be’erot Yitzhak and participated in the Reut program, which supports lone soldiers without immediate family in Israel.
His Israeli adoptive family, who hosted him for Shabbat and holidays, described him as a “disciplined, exceptional, and beloved soldier.”
Before joining the paratroopers, Philipson completed a three-month preparatory course at the IDF’s Michve Alon base, designed to help new immigrants integrate into military life.
He will be laid to rest Sunday afternoon at the Mount Herzl military cemetery in Jerusalem. His family has invited the public to attend the funeral.
Philipson is the fourth IDF soldier to take his own life in the past two weeks. The IDF reports a troubling rise in suicides, with 21 cases so far in 2024, compared to 17 in all of 2023. Mental health advocates have criticized the military for its lack of transparency, noting that suicide data is released only once a year and lacks comprehensive context.
If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts or emotional distress, help is available. In Israel, contact ERAN at *1201. In the United States, dial 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.