IDF Orphans Celebrate Bar and Bat Mitzvahs at Western Wall

Stand for Israel  |  April 5, 2024

Children of fallen IDF soldiers gathered at the Western Wall on Thursday to celebrate their bar and bat mitzvah ceremonies, including some children who just lost a parent from the October 7 attacks, reports The Times of Israel:

The festivities began with a joint ceremony for the boys and girls. Among those honored were five children who lost parents in the current Israel-Hamas war, including Lidor Shlomo, daughter of Sgt. Maj. Adir Shlomo. Lidor’s father was a Sderot police officer who was among the first killed in the October 7 battle at the Sderot police station.

“These events really do bring happiness,” Lidor’s mother, Chani, told The Times of Israel.

“It gives us a chance to get out of… the sadness. It is heartwarming.”