Charlie Kirk honored in Jerusalem as hundreds gather, including officials, clergy and Christians

A memorial in Jerusalem for slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk on Sunday became a declaration of purpose, as hundreds of Israelis and American visitors vowed to continue the work he began, according to a report.

The Press Service of Israel (TPS-IL) reported that roughly 300 people, including Israeli officials, clergy and U.S. Christians, gathered Sunday to honor the Turning Point USA founder, who was shot and killed during a speaking engagement at Utah Valley University in September. Many said the event felt less like a memorial and more like a mandate.

Pastor Rob McCoy, one of Kirk’s closest confidants, described him in comments reported by TPS-IL as “faithful, humble, a wonderful husband and father,” and revealed a personal discipline — a weekly Sabbath rest.

“He found unbelievable freedom in turning everything off. From Friday night to Saturday night, no one could reach him,” McCoy said. “That rhythm grounded him.”

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McCoy also said Kirk saw politics as a way to strengthen society, not a route to power.

“He saw politics as an on-ramp to increased humanity,” McCoy said. “If he could get young people rowing in the streams of liberty, he believed they would eventually reach its source.”

Several attendees told TPS-IL that Kirk’s reach extended far beyond his audience.

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Tammy Martin of California said, “I never met Charlie personally, but when he was killed, it felt like losing someone I knew.”

She credited him with helping Christians understand the importance of supporting Israel. “Some people you only see through a screen, but the truth they speak goes straight through,” she said. “Charlie was one of those people.”

Robert Whitley, also from California, told the publication Kirk was unmatched in his ability to connect with young conservatives.

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“He knew how to speak to young people in a way no one else could,” Whitley said. “He helped them push back against indoctrination and see Israel and America with real clarity.”

Israel’s Minister of Diaspora Affairs Amichai Chikli praised Kirk’s discipline and resolve in comments to TPS-IL.

“Charlie embodied the deeper meaning of freedom — responsibility, clarity, discipline,” Chikli said. “His death is a tremendous loss, not only to his family but to the conservative movement worldwide and to all those who saw him as a defender of truth.”

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According to TPS-IL, American-born musician Nissim Black called Kirk “a giant — a real giant — and his legacy is a legacy you can’t shake.”

He noted that Kirk’s moral conviction left a void. “He was unapologetic when it came to morality and unapologetic when it came to standing for what was right,” Black said. “Even in his absence, you feel it — he held so many people together.”

Speakers throughout the evening returned to one of Kirk’s final recorded statements: “In the absence of courage, truth is an orphan.”

As the evening ended, attendees said the gathering left them determined to carry forward his mission.

“Charlie is gone, but the truth he fought for is not,” one attendee said. “And it’s up to us now.”