Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana held a special ceremony today (Monday) for lighting the sixth candle of Hanukkah, which took place in the Knesset and was marked by bravery in the Iron Swords War. During the event, certificates of appreciation were awarded to six of the war heroes.
The ceremony host, Iris Chaim, the mother of the late Yotam Chaim who was accidentally shot by IDF fire while fleeing captivity, said in her speech: "We are in a period where we are committed to continue seeing our inner light, the unifying forces among us. This is what will give us the strength to continue fighting for our home."
These are the heroes who were honored at the ceremony:
Yair Wisner, a police bomb disposal expert, member of the emergency response team, and resident of Kibbutz Kerem Shalom, who was seriously injured by an RPG while defending the kibbutz on October 7th.
Rimon Kdam, an 18-year-old resident of Kibbutz Be'eri, who survived the October 7 attack with his parents, locked in their safe room for 16 hours while their house was burning.
"Like in those days, even now, the State of Israel is facing wars and battles not only on seven fronts but also in the home front," said Ohana. "The ongoing struggle for Jewish sovereignty has not ended, and in this struggle, we must not leave anyone behind. Always in our sights are the hundred of our brothers and sisters still held captive by Hamas, the bereaved families, but there is also a population that I learned again this week is not always in our sights and should be: the wounded, both physically and mentally."
"I spent the first candle of Hanukkah evening with them at the rehabilitation center of Sheba Medical Center. I saw there inspiring heroes full of spirit and fighting will, learning to live alongside loss. They sacrificed their physical integrity for the country and the people, and we must constantly think about how we can repay them, even if we will never truly succeed," he added. "This bravery, their commitment, and their willingness to continue giving day after day – that is what makes Israeli society what it is. And each of them – makes the State of Israel as powerful as it is."
The head of the Sdot Negev Regional Council, Tamir Idan, said from the podium: "The thought that we, the residents of the Gaza border, have been left to our fate – will be remembered forever. We were not prepared. The reference scenarios we received did not mention any element of infiltration. Weapons were taken from the alert units. We were forced to live as refugees in our own country, in places that were not prepared to receive us. People were exiled from their homes all over Israel. But precisely in these dark days, pain turned into strength, fear turned into courage. The residents proved that they can stand together all the way. Hanukkah is a holiday of the victory of the children of light over the children of darkness, a holiday of hope and faith. If there is something that the story of the holiday teaches us – it is that in the end, justice will prevail."
Sapir Bloch, the widow of Yedidia Bloch, who passed away from his wounds following a battle in southern Lebanon and whose organs were donated, took the stage with her newborn son, who was born about two weeks ago and whom his father never got to meet. Also attending the ceremony was Meital Pinder, who received Yedidia's donated liver.
Ben L'dani, who immigrated to Israel from South Africa to enlist in the elite unit Oketz, was critically wounded in the battle in Jebaliya where his dog was killed in the encounter.
Zohar Kochavi, who survived the Nova party but was injured twice during reserve duty in the war.
Michelle Rokovitzin, commander at the Kisufim base, who was critically injured in the terrorists' attack on the base.
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