Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF) dedicated the “Iron Swords Forest” on Oct. 21, established in memory of all soldiers and civilians who fell or were murdered since Oct. 7 and throughout the war. Covering 367 dunams (approximately 90 acres) at Khirbet Mador near the Be’eri Forest in southern Israel, it will serve as a place of remembrance and renewal for thousands of bereaved families.
During the ceremony, KKL-JNF chairwoman Ifat Ovadia-Luski, who initiated and led the project, announced that between Nov. 4 and Nov. 6, each bereaved family will be invited to plant a tree dedicated to their loved one. A memorial plaque will be placed beside each tree, featuring the fallen individual’s photograph and a QR code that allows visitors to listen to a song chosen by the family.
The ceremony was attended by representatives of partner organizations involved in establishing the forest, including Arie Moalem, Israel Ministry of Defense deputy director general and head of the Families, Commemoration and Heritage Department; Zvika Cohen, acting director general of the National Insurance Institute; Eli Ben-Shem, chairman of Yad Labanim; and senior officials from the Israel Defense Forces, Israel Police, Fire and Rescue Services, Israeli Security Agency (Shin Bet) and Magen David Adom.
“On Oct. 7, the State of Israel endured one of the darkest days in its history,” said Ovadia-Luski. “We will forever carry the pain of the bereaved families—a pain that belongs to the entire people of Israel.”
She said last year, the agency planted trees with families of the Nova music festival victims near the site of the massacre. This year, it chose to expand the initiative into a forest—a living symbol of memory and hope.
“Out of the pain,” she stated, “we will nurture new life and pass on to future generations the strength to stand resilient in the face of every challenge.”
