Jerusalem, April 14, 2013:

Last night hundreds of people, most of them bereaved family members, gathered outside the OneFamily building in Jerusalem for a unique and emotional Yom Hazikaron Ceremony.

The ceremony was initiated eight years ago by a group of children (and their families) who were regular participants in One Family events. The children did not feel comfortable attending their local community ceremonies. They asked One Family to create a ceremony for them here, where they know they are with family, and know they are safe. Each year the ceremony has grown, and it has now become an overflowing group of bereaved children and parents, OneFamily supporters, staff and volunteers, and caring members of the neighbourhood.

The ceremony included brief films about certain lost family members as well as heartfelt and emotional words from several bereaved siblings, children and parents. This year we welcomed a group of visitors from the Boston Jewish community, here on a CJP women’s mission.

It was a tremendous, albeit difficult, opportunity for people from abroad to see the real Israel. The women who came were so grateful to be included, to cry with us, to experience this moving piece of Israeli life.

This link is to a short video recap of the event (approximately 4 minutes). Permission is granted to republish.

Speakers at the ceremony included:

Rabbi Yitzchak Cohen, his son, Neria, z’l, was murdered at the Mercaz HaRav Yeshiva in Jerusalem, 2008.
Shalom Hirschfeld, his brother, Yonadav Hirschfeld, z’l, was murdered at the Mercaz HaRav Yeshiva in Jerusalem, 2008.
Ayelet Hashachar Gaalya, her mother, Esther Gaaliyah, z’l, was killed in a drive-by shooting terror attack, November 2002
Racheli Tzukerman, her brother, Colonel Erez Tzukerman, z’l, was killed at a Jerusalem bus station bombing in 2005.
Dina Kit, One Family Office Manager who lost two of her sons, one to cancer and the other in a tank explosion by a suicide bomber in 2001.
Raz Ben Meir, his brother Oz, z’l, was murdered in a drive by shooting in 2005.
Liam Levi, her brother Avichai, z’l, was killed near Beit Chaggai in in 2002.
Chantal Belzberg, Executive Vice-Chairman and Founder, One Family Fund