Grieving daughter opens healing center for war victims 

Shira Mark, who has borne the weight of grief from a young age, is now channeling her pain into something powerful and life-affirming. She is founding the "Michael Center" in the Golan Heights—a healing and recovery center for those affected by war.

The first blow to the Mark family came eight and a half years ago when Shira's father, Rabbi Michael (Miki) Mark, was killed in a shooting attack in the southern Hebron Hills of the West Bank. Terrorists opened fire on the family vehicle, leaving Shira’s mother, Chava, critically wounded, along with two of Shira's younger siblings, Pdaya and Tehila. Rabbi Mark, a revered figure and head of the yeshiva in Otniel, left behind his wife and ten children, forever altering their lives.

In 2019, less than three years after losing her father, Shira faced another devastating loss: her older brother Shlomi, a former company commander in the Givati Brigade’s Shaked Battalion and a Shin Bet officer, was killed in a motorcycle accident while on duty.

Then, as the Gaza war escalated, the family suffered yet another blow. Their beloved cousin, Elchanan Kalmanson, fell during a heroic battle in Kibbutz Be'eri. An expert in urban defense and counterterrorism, Elchanan had spent 14 hours rescuing trapped residents before making the ultimate sacrifice.

Despite these unimaginable losses, Shira Mark has found the strength to choose life. The "Michael Center," named after her late father, will serve as a sanctuary for war victims—soldiers, men, women, and children—offering them the support and healing they need to rebuild their lives.

"I reach out to you with an open heart and a life story woven with pain and loss but also with hope and growth," Shira said. "Despite all the loss and hardship, I wholeheartedly believe in the power of healing and the possibility of living a life of hope and love."

* Ynet contributed to this article.