Throughout the war, now entering its 18th month, hundreds of Israeli homes have joined the tragic ranks as bereaved families, and thousands of children will grow up without the support of fathers who fell in battle. This reality made the annual Colel Chabad bar mitzvah commemoration for orphaned boys that much more emotional this year, as 123 boys—all of whom had lost at least one parent—came to the Western Wall to celebrate the momentous occasion.
Among those participating in the event were several families of fallen heroes in the Israel Defense Forces, alongside families who lost parents to illnesses, vehicular accidents, terror attacks and other tragedies. The annual event—organized and sponsored by Colel Chabad, Israel’s longest continuously operating charitable organization founded by the first Lubavitcher Rebbe in 1788—is designed to ensure that the boys get to celebrate the coming-of-age ceremony in a truly special way, despite the financial and practical challenges many of these families face.
The celebration began with the traditional bar mitzvah ceremony, where each young man was danced down to the Western Wall (Kotel), accompanied by family and volunteers, to make the blessing on the Torah. Each participant received his own set of tefillin as well as new clothing for the special occasion.
The families were then all guests of honor at a gala celebration in Binyanei Hauma, Jerusalem’s Convention Center, where they were treated to a three-course meal, concert, photo session and special gifts to mark the occasion. The event was made possible with the support of the Shlusberg family (in memory of their father) and the Meromim Foundation.
M, whose husband had been killed two years ago in a car accident, came to celebrate the bar mitzvah of her son with her family, describing it as very complex emotionally. “On the one hand, we have the joy of the bar mitzvah, but our family’s identity is very much still associated with my husband’s death. But when I look at my children smiling, laughing and dancing, I realize that we have to keep pushing forward in our life’s journey to find and embrace all the good, despite our personal situation and the difficulties the country is facing at this time.”
Rabbi Sholom Duchman, director of Colel Chabad, said that while this event has been taking place for more than 34 years, Israel’s current challenges reinforced the importance of finding joy amid tragedy.
“Every child deserves to know that they are not forgotten, particularly during these landmark occasions in Jewish life,” he said. “When a boy approaches bar mitzvah, it’s natural to think that his father will be standing alongside him, and when that’s not possible, it’s critical that we find a way to ensure his mother and family have the emotional and practical support they so deserve.”