Forty-eight Israeli children who lost a parent serving in the Israel Defense Forces celebrated their b’nei mitzvah on Monday in Jerusalem, in a day-long program that blended joy, remembrance and unity.
The event, organized by the IDF Widows and Orphans Organization (IDFWO), began with a moving reception at the President’s Residence, where Israeli President Isaac Herzog and his wife, Michal Herzog, warmly welcomed the children and their families.
“It’s OK to be sad,” Michal Herzog told them. “You don’t have to be heroes all the time. You’ll always have friends and family to help you through hard moments.”
Participants from across the country—spanning from Ma’alot and Holon to Beersheva and Kibbutz Ein Hanatziv—shared personal memories of their fallen parents, from those killed in Gaza or Lebanon to others lost in terror attacks, car accidents or illness.
More Israelis have become IDF widows and orphans since Oct. 7, 2023, than in the entire 20-year period that preceded it, IDFWO noted in a press release. To date, 885 children have been left without a parent and 352 partners have been left without a spouse.
One girl, Shir, read from a typed note about her father, who died of COVID-19 while serving as a police officer. “He loved helping others and taking care of us,” she said. “I keep his memory alive and continue in his ways—the ways of kindness and love.”
In a particularly touching moment, a Muslim Bedouin girl told the president she didn’t speak Hebrew well; Herzog immediately switched to Arabic, conversing with her and drawing smiles from the group.
Brig. Gen. Edna Ilya, representing the IDF’s Human Resources Directorate, reassured the bereaved children, saying, “You are not alone on your journey—through your studies, army service and more.”
After the singing of “Hatikvah,” the group traveled to Jerusalem’s Old City for a guided tour of the Western Wall Heritage Center, followed by a festive lunch, ceremonies at the Western Wall and a tour of the Western Wall Tunnels.
A large banner proclaimed: “Bar and Bat Mitzvah Celebration for Orphans of the IDF and Security Forces.” IDFWO, founded in 1991, provides emotional, social and financial support to families of Israel’s fallen soldiers and security personnel, including members of the Shin Bet, Mossad, Israel Police, Israel Prison Service and civilian emergency response units.
CEO Shlomi Nahumson, who began as a volunteer, explained that the bar-bat mitzvah program dated back to the 1990s. He cited Naama Rosen-Greenberg, now the first woman to serve as the military aide to Israel’s president, who herself celebrated her bat mitzvah through IDFWO after losing her father in active duty.
“This is more than a celebration,” Nahumson told JNS. “It’s a statement. As these children enter adulthood, they know they’re not alone.”
“Nobody will ever replace these children’s parent, but the IDFWO will do everything in our power to give them the tools to grow and flourish, never feeling less than their peers,” Nahumson said. “These families paid the ultimate price for our freedom and deserve to have the best possible celebration as they become young adults.”
In an interview with JNS, Talia Friedman and her mother, Gal, from Kibbutz Ein Hanatziv, shared that Talia’s father was killed on reserve duty just eight months ago.
“We feel so much support,” said Gal. “This day was emotional and exciting.”
At the Kotel luncheon, Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, rabbi of the Western Wall and Holy Sites, reminded the children that each of them has a mission in life, a shlichut. Then, to the sound of shofars, trumpets and drums, the families danced from the tunnels to the Western Wall Plaza in a jubilant procession of song and celebration.
The group consisted of a tapestry of Israeli society, including Jews, Muslims and Druze, who all lost at least one parent during active service in the IDF.
The Jewish boys put on tefillin and were called up to the Torah, one by one, while the girls participated in a challah-baking workshop at the Heritage Center. Muslim participants toured the Dome of the Rock, symbolizing the event’s inclusive nature.
For Itai Kapooya from Ramat Hasharon, whose father was killed in 2002, the day proved spiritual and uplifting. “I feel closer to God,” he said. “The most special part was being called to the Torah.”
Volunteer Avishai Yanai, who has spent six years working with IDFWO, said that “it’s powerful to help the boys do something their fathers couldn’t—to put on tefillin. This is how we connect.”
The day concluded with a festive party at the Museum of Tolerance Jerusalem, where each child received gifts and blessings—a fitting close to a day of faith, memory and hope for the future.
