A moving and festive event took place this week, as 90 boys and girls who are victims of acts of terror, together with their families, celebrated an emotional Bar and Bat Mitzvah in Jerusalem. Among them were many children who joined the circle of terror victims following October 7. The event was organized by the National Organization of Victims of Terror and the Western Wall Heritage Foundation.
The celebration began with the children’s arrival at the Western Wall Plaza, where they were warmly welcomed by guides from the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, who led a variety of activities and special programs. For the Bar Mitzvah boys, a moving ceremony was held that included the presentation of tefillin, generously donated by the Gindi family in honor of the Bar Mitzvah. The boys then donned tefillin and were called up to the Torah. For the Bat Mitzvah girls, a unique and emotional ceremony was held, during which they received a special necklace and a personal Book of Psalms. Together, all participants offered heartfelt prayers for the success of IDF soldiers and security forces, for the swift return of the last remaining hostage, Israeli hero Staff Sergeant Ran Gvili, for the recovery of the wounded, and for the peace and security of Israel.
All of the Bar and Bat Mitzvah children received certificates marking the meaningful occasion and toured the Western Wall Tunnels as well as the new exhibit in the Tunnels, The Gateway to Heaven, which recently opened to the public.
Following this, a festive ceremony was held at the President’s Residence, with the participation of the chairman of the National Organization of Victims of Terror, Abi Moses, the organization’s chairman, Attorney Roi Cohen, and other distinguished guests.
President of the State of Israel, Mr. Isaac Herzog:
“Bar and Bat Mitzvahs mark entry into a world of responsibility and excitement. Alongside these wondrous moments, many members of this generation are forced to grow up amid pain and bereavement, holding joy and loss together. We offer a prayer for the return of Ran Gvili, for the recovery of the wounded, for comfort for the bereaved families, and for the safety and success of IDF soldiers and security forces.”
Rabbi of the Western Wall and the Holy Sites, Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz:
“I bless you that, in every situation, you will merit not only to cope with hardship and pain, but to grow from them – to become better, happier, and more whole. May you be strengthened and give strength to your parents, your sisters and brothers, and to the entire people of Israel. To walk in the ways of our ancestors – this is the secret of the Jewish people.”
Chairman of the Organization of Victims of Terror, Mr. Abi Moses:
“You, the Bar and Bat Mitzvah children, symbolize the bridge between pain and hope. The painful Israeli reality and the war imposed upon us forced you to grow up faster than expected. I see courageous children who have had to face questions of life and death, longing and loss. And yet, you chose life.”
