On a clear Jerusalem morning, at the foot of the Western Wall, 120 children arrived for a rare pause in a year shaped by loss, fear and displacement. They came from communities deeply scarred on October 7 – Ofakim, Sderot and Maalot-Tarshiha – for a Bar and Bat Mitzvah celebration created to restore a measure of stability and meaning. The initiative, led by Keren Hayesod and the Consistoire of France in partnership with the Jewish Agency, brought together families, community leaders and supporters from abroad, forming a circle of presence around children still navigating the long arc of recovery.
Among the families were residents of Ofakim’s Mishor HaGefen neighborhood, one of the areas hit hardest during the attack. Ariel Amar, one of the participants, described spending the morning of the assault in the family safe room, while his father – a volunteer medic with United Hatzalah – left under fire to treat the wounded.
What did the Bar Mitzvah celebration at Western Wall look like?
The day opened with a musical procession from Jaffa Gate to Zion Gate, followed by a brief ceremony and a release of balloons. At the Western Wall, the main event was held with the participation of Israel’s Sephardi Chief Rabbi, Rabbi David Yosef; Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, Rabbi of the Western Wall; Sam Grundwerg, World Chairman of Keren Hayesod; and Moti Ben-David, Mayor of Maalot-Tarshiha. Around them stood about 60 donors from the French Jewish community, who had travelled to Israel to accompany the families.
Sam Grundwerg, World Chairman of Keren Hayesod, explains that “children from the south and the north have lived through a reality no child should ever experience, and the bond between Israel and global Jewish communities offers them a rare sense of security and belonging.”
Maj. Gen. (res.) Doron Almog, Chairman of the Jewish Agency, notes that “these children endured fear, loss and the shock of war, and our responsibility of mutual solidarity is to surround them and their families with genuine and sustained support.”
Eli Korchia, President of the Consistoire of France, adds that “the gathering in Jerusalem expresses the deep solidarity of the French Jewish community with Israel, especially for children who faced displacement and instability during the war.”
How did the Waldorf Astoria gathering shape the end of the day?
The celebration concluded at Jerusalem’s Waldorf Astoria Hotel, where families reunited for a festive dinner. Each child received a personalized prayer book prepared especially for the occasion – a symbolic memento meant to accompany them long after the lights fade. The evening included the participation of World Zionist Organization Chairman Yaakov Hagoel and senior leaders from Keren Hayesod, who emphasized the ongoing commitment to supporting the families as they rebuild their lives.
For children whose routines were ruptured overnight and reshaped by trauma, the day in Jerusalem offered more than a celebration. It created the beginning of a new memory – one carried by music echoing off ancient stones, by families rediscovering space to breathe, and by a global community signaling, quietly and clearly: you are not alone.
