In collaboration with the "One Family" organization, which serves as a warm home for bereaved families in Israel, MK Yoni Shatvon hosted bereaved families in his sukkah.
The event was attended by Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, Mark and Shawntel Blasberg, heads of the "One Family" organization, Hadas Mizrahi, widow of Nitzam Baruch Mizrahi, Dalia and Alon Carmeli, parents of Sergeant Shawn Carmeli, Eli and Mazel Gideoni, parents of Sergeant Liel Gideoni, Yossi Tzur and Yossi Mendelevich, who lost their sons Yuval and Assaf in the attack on bus 37 in Haifa, and other bereaved families.
""When you are here, my sukkah looks different," MK Yoni Shtavun told the families, "more complete and full of unity. With God's help, we will make this a permanent tradition and we will meet here next year as well." Shtavun added: "I am proud to be part of one family, a part that learns from and appreciates your tremendous strengths.".
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Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu: "Your sons who gave their lives belong to another dimension, to the family of the Jewish people for generations. We must continue with strength, with a smile and great joy. Like Rabbi Akiva in his time, when everyone cried over the destruction and he laughed. For every bereavement, we will add a building of life, of joy.".
Yossi Mendelevich: "With their death, our sons commanded us unity. Right and left, religious, ultra-Orthodox and secular, we are all one people. In the unity of our strength we will win, if we are not dependent on each other, we will become dependent on each other.".
Hadas Mizrahi: "With God's help, out of love for the people, we will strengthen and realize the legacy of life that our fallen left behind, and we will do so with joy.".
Mazal Gideoni: "Liel was all about love for people, all about kindness, all about joy. We ask that this continue. Wherever I speak, I call on those present to love people and remember Liel. To do an act of kindness and remember Liel. To smile and remember Liel. To rejoice and remember Liel. This is what I ask, to do a good deed and think about Liel.".
The "One Family" organization was established after the deadly terrorist attack at the Sbarro restaurant in Jerusalem in the summer of 2001. At that time, the bat mitzvah celebration of Michal Blasberg, the daughter of Mark and Shawntel, the organization's founders, was scheduled to take place. At Michal's request, the parents decided to cancel the bat mitzvah and dedicate the expected expenses for the bat mitzvah to the bereaved families.
Thus was founded the "One Family" organization, which has been accompanying bereaved families in Israel for thirteen years.
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