OneFamily embraces families of October 7 victims for Seder
Jewish people around the world are preparing to retell the story of Passover, a journey of grief and sorrow, but also resilience and triumph. This message takes on a somber new meaning this year, as thousands of families of those killed or taken hostage on October 7 remain fractured, and the journey of the Passover story, from oppression to liberation, remains a far-off dream for those still living in the hell of that day.
For Yigal and Limor David, whose son Amit, 24, was killed at the Nova festival, the holidays are a painful reminder of the world they have lost. “Holidays for our family, and especially Amit, were about being together. But this year, we don’t even feel that it is a holiday,” Limor shared with a deafening sorrow in her voice as she recounted just one year ago how Amit returned from his post-army trip to South America to be with his family for Seder. Amit’s beaming presence would light up the holiday table, so the unfathomable idea of hosting a holiday meal only reopens the pain felt by his tragic death.
Unable to express their pain with others who are sharing in the unfathomable ordeal, Yigal and Limor conceded that they would forgo the holiday until they were invited to a Passover Seder hosted by OneFamily, an organization committed to providing support to the victims of terrorism and their families.
“As soon as we received the invitation that they are hosting a Passover Seder, we felt excited for the first time in so long. I knew I wanted to be there because I know that there, we will be with people who are in the exact same position as us,” shared Yigal.
“I don’t have to pretend and nobody else will be pretending either, knowing that everyone is just like me. You have no idea what it did for us,” he said.
Chantal and Marc Belzberg established the OneFamily
Fund in 2001 after the Sbarro suicide bombing, inspired by their daughter, who suggested canceling her bat mitzvah party to donate the funds to the survivors and the families of the victims of the attack.
“Our goal is to help these victims learn to live again. We’re like long-term care; we hold people’s hands and make sure they don’t fall and will eventually thrive. We are here to ensure that terrorism will not triumph by making sure that nobody is left behind and that everyone receives the help they need,” Chantal Belzberg, CEO of OneFamily, stated ahead of the upcoming Passover Seder, which will host 60 families, including 19 widows, and 41 couples who lost children in the October 7 massacre.
STAYING FOR the first days of Passover together in a hotel, families will be treated to performances and magic shows for children while also offering therapy and group sessions for children and adults, as they help to ease the pain of the upcoming holiday without their loved ones.
Up until October 6, OneFamily has helped nearly 12,000 victims of terror, but could never have anticipated the demands for support following the October 7 massacre.
Since then, OneFamily has been a guiding light that has helped the families of the victims navigate their daily lives when many cannot even find a reason to continue living.
“OneFamily listens to our needs without [us] having to ask, and knows exactly how to best support us,” explained Ines Yoav, whose husband, Michael, was killed at the Nova festival.
“From the 7 of October, OneFamily has been in constant contact with me, sometimes just to check how we’re doing. They continuously encourage us, support us and provide the spiritual assistance that we desperately need. From the beginning, they have been right here by our side,” Yoav explained.
Yoav feels like her entire life has stood still since her husband was taken from them. Michael would fill her life with laughter and be the one to bring the entire family together around the holidays.
Now void of laughter and joy, Yoav lives because she needs to – for her children but the day-to-day work of a parent navigating the complex emotional needs of her two bereaved children makes even the most mundane tasks challenging.
“For me, they help send my daughter to all kinds of activities and trips. [They] help with groceries, babysitters, and any other needs. It is hard for me to ask myself, but Mindy [our case worker] takes the initiative and helps with everything I couldn’t ask [for] myself,” Yoav added, exhibiting a palpable sigh of relief knowing that there was someone looking out for her wellbeing.
WHILE THE families of the victims still feel the loss of their loved ones even more around the Seder table, OneFamily is providing a safe space where families can fully express themselves through an array of complex emotions and experiences.
Their pain may never heal, but OneFamily demonstrates that among the Jewish people, nobody needs to be alone.
“There is still a huge amount of work to do; we don’t wait for them to come to us; we could be reaching at least ten new families every day,” Belzberg explained, adding that OneFamily has provided immense support for more than 900 families since October 7, but has a goal of reaching more than 3,000 who need their help.
“We don’t just provide an emergency response,” she said, adding, “We are in it for the long term, it’s our job to help them see the light at the end of the tunnel. Rehabilitation isn’t the right word, it’s about learning to live again.”
But Belzberg remains burdened with the understanding that there are countless families that are not receiving the care they desperately need. Many continue to feel isolated and alone in their struggle as OneFamily works to bring in more supporters to directly help those who need it the most.