Israelis turn out en masse for funeral of soldier from Los Angeles

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Israeli soldiers carry the coffin of Israel Defense Forces Sgt. Max Steinberg, an L.A. native, during his funeral Wednesday at the military cemetery in Jerusalem. (Oded Balilty / Associated Press)

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The parents of Israel Defense Forces Sgt. Max Steinberg, an L.A. native, grieve at his coffin during his funeral in Jerusalem on Wednesday. Steinberg, 24, was a graduate of El Camino Real High School and studied at Pierce College before joining the Israeli army in 2012. (Ilia Yefimovich / Getty Images)

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Israeli soldiers grieve during the funeral of comrade Max Steinberg, 24, at the Mount Herzl military cemetery in Jerusalem on Wednesday. (Menahem Kahana / AFP/Getty Images)

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An Israeli female soldier wrapped in Israel’s flag mourns 24-year-old Max Steinberg, an L.A. native who had joined the Israel Defense Forces, at the Mount Herzl military cemetery in Jerusalem on Wednesday. (Gali Tibbon / AFP/Getty Images)

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Israelis attend the funeral of Israel Defense Forces Sgt. Max Steinberg at the military cemetery in Jerusalem on Wednesday. (Oded Balilty / Associated Press)

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Israeli female soldiers mourn 24-year-old Israel Defense Forces Sgt. Max Steinberg at the Mount Herzl military cemetery in Jerusalem on Wednesday. (Gali Tibbon / AFP/Getty Images)

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Israeli soldiers carry the coffin of Israel Defence Forces Sgt. Max Steinberg during his funeral at the Mount Herzel military cemetery in Jerusalem on Wednesday. (Sebastian Scheiner / Associated Press)

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Israeli comrades mourn during the funeral of Israel Defense Forces Sgt. Max Steinberg, 24, at the Mount Herzl military cemetery in Jerusalem on Wednesday. (Gali Tibbon / AFP/Getty Images)

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The parents of Israeli army Sgt. Max Steinberg place flowers on his grave during his funeral in Mount Herzl cemetery in Jerusalem on Wednesday. (Abir Sultan / EPA)

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A woman wraps herself in the flag of the United States during the funeral of Israeli army Sgt. Max Steinberg, 24, at Mount Herzl cemetery in Jersalem on Wednesday. (Abir Sultan / EPA)

By Batsheva Sobelman

July 23, 2014 1:47 PM PT

Reporting from Jerusalem —

Max Steinberg, a native of Los Angeles, was laid to rest in Jerusalem on Wednesday with 30,000 people in attendance to pay last respects to the Israeli army sergeant who lost his life fighting in the Gaza Strip.

Steinberg, 24, was killed Sunday along with five others with his Golani infantry brigade when a rocket propelled grenade hit their armored vehicle. A seventh soldier was also believed to have been killed but remains missing.

As of Wednesday, 32 Israeli soldiers had been killed in Gaza in less than a week of ground fighting.

Steinberg, who grew up in Woodland Hills and attended El Camino Real High School, visited Israel in 2012 with his brother and sister and decided to stay and join the army.

Like other Jewish young adults choosing to immigrate without their parents and volunteer for military service, Steinberg was considered a “lone soldier,” a category recognizing his special circumstances and offering some extra support from the system.

Israelis mobilized to pay tribute to Steinberg and honor him with a show of support. The large crowd -- nearly all strangers -- answered calls of social media and conscience and attended the rites at the military cemetery on Jerusalem’s Mt. Herzl. Several websites live-streamed the ceremony.

Many dignitaries joined the ceremony as well, offering comforting words for Steinberg’s parents, Evie and Stuart, and his siblings, Paige and Jake, who attended the gathering. U.S. Ambassador Dan Shapiro extended a message of support and condolences on behalf of the American government and people.

“I didn’t know him but he fought for us and died for us,” Yuval Shimon told local media. “It is a great honor for me to be here at his funeral.”

Sobelman is a special correspondent.