The Ta’asa family from Netiv HaAsara experienced a terrible tragedy when the family’s father, Gil, was killed as he jumped on a grenade thrown by Hamas terrorists towards the shelter where they were hiding, thus saving the lives of his family – in his death, he saved lives.
On that same black Saturday, Koren’s brother, Or, was also killed on the Zikim Beach, while the family’s mother, Sivan, was in the fortified room of the house, protecting the other children.
The family was greeted by Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, rabbi of the Western Wall and holy sites, and Mr. Mordechai (Suli) Eliav, director of the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, who blessed and strengthened the bar mitzvah boy and his family.
An emotional moment occurred when Koren went up to the Torah and recited the blessing of Hagomel with his siblings who survived with him. Not a dry eye was left in the presence of the touching sight of three siblings who survived, standing embraced in front of the Western Wall, a place that provides comfort and hope, with prayers in their hearts.
At the end of the prayer, the family lit a memorial candle in memory of their murdered family members and toured the Western Wall Tunnels, leaving fortified and filled with faith and hope for the future.
