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Israel-Hamas War: Finding a Hanukkah menorah amid the massacre ruins
In the light of the Hanukkah menorah, a haunting story unfolds of unshakable resilience and a ray of hope in the midst of darkness. The hanukkiah, with its eight flames, symbolizes a miracle from ancient times. In Jerusalem’s Holy Temple, a single day’s oil illuminated the darkness for eight days. But this year, the hanukkiah’s message resonates with an even deeper, more poignant significance.
In the aftermath of the devastating attacks on October 7 in southern Israel, my journey brought me to Be’eri, a kibbutz scarred by conflict. Here, amid the desolation, I witnessed a scene of profound sorrow and quiet strength. A man, crouching, almost kneeling, in the remnants of what was once a family home, personifies the essence of loss and perseverance. The home, now a landscape of rubble and ashes, was his wife’s family’s dwelling, a place that once echoed with the laughter of loved ones.
Clad in overalls, a light blue kippah resting gently on his head, he moves with solemn purpose through the debris. His face, partly concealed by a mask to shield him from the pervasive smell of death, is a canvas of intense emotion. His brow furrowed, his eyes a well of unspoken stories. Each movement is careful, reverential, almost sacred, as he lifts each broken, charred fragment of lives once full and vibrant.
On that day of tragedy, Simchat Torah, a time of great joy, became a time of sorrow. The house had been full, as grandparents, children, and grandchildren gathered to celebrate. But terror struck, brutally claiming the life of his wife’s father and abducting eight others. The photograph captures not just a man sifting through ruins but a soul searching for the scattered remnants of a past violently torn away.His body, folded over amid the ruins, speaks volumes about his inner turmoil – a blend of despair, anguish, determination, and the need to connect with the fragments of his shattered world. As he sifts through the remnants, each piece he touches is a connection to a memory, a moment in time that once was.
And then, amid this solemn ceremony, he makes a stark, poignant discovery. His hands, blackened with soot, uncover a hanukkiah. This single eight-branched menorah is twisted and contorted, a stark symbol of the horror that befell his family, bearing the scars of the tragedy. Found amid the wreckage, it encapsulates the essence of the Hanukkah message. It is not just a relic of a home lost; it is an emblem of light persevering in the darkest of times. The twisted menorah speaks to the endurance of the human spirit amid unimaginable trials and grief.
The spirit of Hanukkah in the runs of Hamas’s massacre
As the man cradles this symbol of his family’s past, the scene captures the heart of the Hanukkah spirit. It is a reminder that even in the depths of despair, the indestructible light of hope, tradition, and resilience flickers on. In the discovery of this hanukkiah, we see a reflection of our own ability to find strength and light, even when surrounded by the ashes of destruction.
This Hanukkah, as we light our candles, we are reminded of more than that long-ago historical miracle; we are called to recognize the enduring flame of hope that burns even in the darkest of times. In that man’s cradling of this twisted hanukkiah, we find a powerful symbol of unwavering resilience and the inextinguishable light of the human spirit. It stands as a profound testament to our capacity to find light amid darkness, to kindle and keep alive the light of hope when black despair seems all-consuming.
As each flame flickers, our hanukkiot vibrate with the message that it is in our darkest moments that the light of hope and enduring faith shines the brightest.
On Tuesday, February 11, Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael – Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF) will dedicate the Swords of Iron Forest together with bereaved families who have lost their loved ones during the war, since October 7, 2023. This forest will serve as a living tribute to fallen civilians and IDF personnel. The dedication will take place two days before Tu Bishvat, the Jewish “New Year” for Trees.
A Forest of Memory and Renewal
“We are planting the future, renewing the forest, and breathing fresh air into the region,” says Daniel Ben-David, KKL-JNF‘s Western Negev Director. “In a place where life was cut short, we will plant new roots and create a forest of memory and renewal.”
Ben-David emphasized that the Swords of Iron Forest is not just another project; it is a testament to resilience, renewal, and the unwavering spirit of the Gaza Envelope’s residents, who have endured unimaginable hardship. This forest will symbolize hope, remembrance, and the promise of new beginnings.
>> Honor Their Memory – Plant a Tree of Remembrance
The site of the Nova Music Festival massacre, recently restored and upgraded by KKL-JNF, now welcomes 5,000 visitors daily. Given the overwhelming response, KKL-JNF expects even greater numbers to visit the new Swords of Iron Forest each year.
Last Tu Bishvat, KKL-JNF held a moving tree-planting ceremony at the Nova Festival site, where families of victims and survivors planted new life in the soil. Now, just a short distance away, the Swords of Iron Forest will take root as part of the vast 11,000-dunam Be’eri Forest, originally planted in the 1950s and 1960s. For over 12 years, and especially on October 7, this region has suffered severe destruction from ongoing rocket fire, incendiary balloons, and terror attacks from Gaza.
“For years, we have been restoring scorched land, rehabilitating wounded trees, and developing nature sites to improve the quality of life for residents,” says Ben-David. “We have built bike paths, hiking trails, and recreation areas.The Swords of Iron Forest is not just about trees – it is about resilience, remembrance, and looking ahead to the future.”
In addition to the tree-planting activities in memory of those who fell during the war, KKL-JNF is also engaged in restoration efforts in Israel’s northern forests. This week, it will hold a large and unique planting event in Biriya Forest, with the participation of hundreds of people, including local municipality leaders from the border communities, senior commanders of the IDF Northern Command, soldiers, local school students, and pre-military academy cadets.
A Living Tribute: The Tree-Planting Ceremony
Over 10,000 participants are expected to attend the unique and meaningful event on February 11, planting 2,000 trees in memory of their loved ones – creating a lasting tribute and legacy for those they have lost.
The dedication of the Swords of Iron Forest is led by KKL-JNF under the leadership of its Chairwoman, Ifat Ovadia-Luski, with the participation of Bituach Leumi and the Defense Ministry.
>> Forever Growing, Forever Remembered. Plant a Tree.
This article was written in cooperation with KKL-JNF.
After Trump took office as US President, reports were published that the new administration is demanding the deportation of the terrorist Ahlam Tamimi, who was responsible for the attack of the Sbarro restaurant, from Jordanian territory. Tamimi was released in the Gilad Shalit deal in 2011 after being sentenced to 16 life sentences.
In 2017, the US Department of Justice published a criminal complaint and issued an arrest warrant against al-Tamimi. The FBI added her to the top of its most wanted list and offered a cash reward for her extradition and prosecution.
Attorney Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, who represents the family of Channa Nachenberg, an American citizen who was critically injured in the attack at the Sbarro restaurant, is now revealing the actions taken behind the scenes, and that she was even called to an emergency meeting with the US Department of Justice’s counterterrorism task force.
The meeting was at the King David Hotel and attended by U.S. federal prosecutors and the FBI. At the meeting the American officials revealed that they were making public an indictment of Hamas terrorist Ahlam al-Tamimi who had assisted in the bombing of Sbarros.Al-Tamimi had been released from an Israeli prison during a prisoner release in exchange for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit and was living in Jordan. Al-Tamimi hosted a popular radio talk show where she regularly boasted about her membership in Hamas and the bombing she was involved in in Jerusalem.
Although the U.S. had demanded that Jordan extradite the freed terrorist responsible for the murder of 2 U.S. citizens and the maiming of many others such as Nachenberg, the Hashemite Kingdom refused. Jordan claimed there was no extradition treaty between Amaan and Washington.
Now as a prerequisite to meeting with President Trump the U.S. has demanded that King Hussein either deport the terrorist to a third country or extradite her to the U.S.
According to attorney Darshan-Leitner: “We have been waiting since the terrorist’s release in 2011 for the Americans to really demand her extradition. We were hopeful that this unrepentant terrorist murderer who has much Israeli and American blood on her hands, will finally be locked up, but this time with no chance of freedom. It’s outrageous that she was released by Israel and was allowed to live a life of comfort and freedom in Jordan. God willing she’ll finally face a real punishment for her Jew hatred and the lives she destroyed.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Egypt’s foreign minister on Tuesday it was important to ensure Hamas terrorists can never govern Gaza again, the State Department said, with their call coming after President Donald Trump suggested Egypt and Jordan should take more Palestinians.
Trump on Saturday floated a plan to “clean out” Gaza, where Israel’s war has killed tens of thousands and caused a humanitarian crisis, in comments that echoed long-standing Palestinian fears of being permanently driven from their homes.
The suggestion by Trump was not mentioned in the US State Department statement released on Tuesday after the call between Rubio and Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty.
Jordan and Egypt had pushed back over the weekend after Trump’s comments that they should take in Palestinians from Gaza. Asked if this was a temporary or long-term solution, Trump had said: “Could be either.”“He (Rubio) also reinforced the importance of holding Hamas accountable,” the State Department said after Tuesday’s call.
“The Secretary reiterated the importance of close cooperation to advance post-conflict planning to ensure Hamas can never govern Gaza or threaten Israel again.”
Context
Rubio held a call a day earlier with Jordan’s King Abdullah, and the US statement after that call, too, did not mention Trump’s remarks on Palestinian displacement.
The latest bloodshed in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered on Oct. 7, 2023, when Palestinian Hamas terrorists attacked Israel, killing 1,200 and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
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