Kibbutz Be'eri, which was hit the hardest in the October 7 massacre, held its first bar mitzvah since that terrible day. This symbolizes the sparks of renewal and rehabilitation in the surrounding communities, although there is still a long way to go until the area is completely rehabilitated.
Haim Yellin, a resident of Be'eri, former Knesset member and former head of the Eshkol Council, spoke about the moving event: "The first Bar Mitzvah in the synagogue in Be'eri after October 7. Adam ascended to the Torah. He was in the safe room for 16 hours with his family. Heard, saw and felt what no child should experience," he wrote on his Facebook account.
He continued: "We are trying to get closure and give security to our children, and on October 7 we saw parents sacrificing themselves for the sake of their children. Today, Adam and his entire family have given us all hope. The children from October 7 became adults in one day, despite their age."
Kibbutz Be'eri is located in the western Negev, about four kilometers east of the Gaza Strip. It was named after Berl Katznelson, whose was originally named Be'eri. On Saturday, the morning of Simchat Torah, more than 100 well-armed terrorists from Hamas infiltrated the kibbutz of just over 1,100 residents.
The terrorists overcame the alert squad and the first responders that were called to the scene. They massacred the residents of the kibbutz - more than 100 of the residents were murdered, including members of the kibbutz's alert squad. In addition, 26 members of the security forces, 19 soldiers and 7 policemen were killed. More than 32 residents were abducted in the Gaza Strip, some of whom were murdered after being abducted.
* Channel 14 contributed to this article.
