Charlie Kirk memorial in Jerusalem draws 300 attendees to honor his legacy

A memorial service Sunday for slain Jerusalem activist Charlie Kirk turned into a statement of purpose, with hundreds of Israeli and American visitors pledging to continue the work he started, according to a report.

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

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

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

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McCoy also said that Kirk saw politics not as a path to power but as a way to strengthen society.

“He saw politics as an on-ramp to the increase of humanity,” McCoy said. “He believed that if he could persuade young people to row on the rivers of freedom, they would eventually reach the source of freedom.”

Many participants told TPS-IL that Kirk’s reach extends far beyond his audience.

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Amichai Chikli, Israeli Minister of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Anti-Semitism, speaks at a memorial service honoring Charlie Kirk in Jerusalem on November 16, 2025. (Yoav Dudkevitch/TPS-IL, 16 November 2025)

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

He credited him with helping Christians understand the importance of supporting Israel. “You only see some people through a screen, but the truth of what they say comes right out,” he said. “Charlie was one of those people.”

Robert Whitley, also of California, told the publication that Kirk was unique in his ability to connect with young conservatives.

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Israeli and American visitors gather in Jerusalem to celebrate the legacy of Charlie Kirk, November 16, 2025. (Yoav Dudkevitch/TPS-IL, 16 November 2025)

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

Israeli Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli praised Kirk’s discipline and determination in a statement to TPS-IL.

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

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Participants gathered in Jerusalem on November 16, 2025, to honor the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk. (Yoav Dudkevitch/TPS-IL, 16 November 2025)

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

He stated that Kirk’s moral conviction left a void. “He was unapologetic when it came to morality, unapologetic when it came to standing up for what was right,” Black said. “Even in his absence you feel it; he was keeping a lot of people together.”

Throughout the evening, speakers returned to one of Kirk’s last recorded statements: “Without courage, truth is an orphan.”

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As the evening ended, attendees said the meeting made them determined to continue its mission.

“Charlie is gone, but the truth he fought for is not,” one attendee said. “And now it’s in our hands.”