Orphans at the Western Wall in a ceremony hosted by the IDF Widows and Orphans Organization (IDFWO), on Oct. 20, 2025. Photo courtesy IDFWO.
By HOWARD BLAS
JNS
Forty-eight Israeli children who lost a parent serving in the Israel Defense Forces celebrated their b’nei mitzvah on Monday, Oct. 20, in Jerusalem, in a day-long program that blended joy, remembrance, and unity.The event, organized by the IDF Widows and Orphans Organization (IDFWO), began with a reception at the President’s Residence, where President Isaac Herzog and his wife, Michal, welcomed the children and their families.
“It’s OK to be sad,” Michal Herzog told them. “You don’t have to be heroes all the time. You’ll always have friends and family to help you through hard moments.”
Memories Of Parents
Participants from across the country—spanning from Ma’alot and Holon to Beersheva and Kibbutz Ein Hanatziv—shared memories of their fallen parents, from those killed in Gaza or Lebanon to others lost in terror attacks, car accidents or illness.
More Israelis have become IDF widows and orphans since Oct. 7, 2023, than in the 20-year period that preceded it, IDFWO noted in a press release. To date, 885 children have been left without a parent and 352 partners have been left without a spouse.
One girl, Shir, read from a typed note about her father, who died of COVID-19 while serving as a police officer. “He loved helping others and taking care of us,” she said. “I keep his memory alive and continue in his ways—the ways of kindness and love.”
“You Are Not Alone”
A Muslim Bedouin girl told the president she didn’t speak Hebrew well; Herzog immediately switched to fluent Arabic, conversing with her gently and drawing smiles from the group.
Brig. Gen. Edna Ilya, representing the IDF’s Human Resources Directorate, reassured the bereaved children, saying, “You are not alone on your journey—through your studies, army service and more.”
After the singing of “Hatikvah,” the group traveled to Jerusalem’s Old City for a guided tour of the Western Wall Heritage Center, followed by a lunch, ceremonies at the Western Wall and a tour of the Western Wall Tunnels.
A large banner proclaimed: “Bar and Bat Mitzvah Celebration for Orphans of the IDF and Security Forces.” IDFWO, founded in 1991, provides emotional, social, and financial support to families of Israel’s fallen soldiers and security personnel, including members of the Shin Bet, Mossad, Israel Police, Israel Prison Service and civilian emergency response units.
CEO Shlomi Nahumson, who began as a volunteer, explained that the bar/bat mitzvah program dated back to the 1990s. He cited Naama Rosen-Greenberg, now the first woman to serve as the military aide to Israel’s president, who had celebrated her bat mitzvah through IDFWO after losing her father in active duty.
“This is more than a celebration,” Nahumson told JNS. “It’s a statement. As these children enter adulthood, they know they’re not alone.”
“Nobody will ever replace these children’s parent, but the IDFWO will do everything in our power to give them the tools to grow and flourish, never feeling less than their peers,” Nahumson said. “These families paid the ultimate price for our freedom and deserve to have the best possible celebration as they become young adults.”
At the Kotel luncheon, Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, rabbi of the Western Wall and Holy Sites, reminded the children that each of them has a mission in life. Then, to the sound of shofars, trumpets and drums, the families danced from the tunnels to the Western Wall Plaza in a procession of song and celebration.
Inclusive
The group consisted of Jews, Muslims and Druze, who all lost at least one parent during active service in the IDF. The Jewish boys put on tefillin and were called up to the Torah, one by one, while the girls participated in a challah-baking workshop at the Heritage Center. Muslim participants toured the Dome of the Rock, symbolizing the event’s inclusive nature.
The day concluded with a party at the Museum of Tolerance Jerusalem, where each child received gifts and blessings.
