Forty-eight children who lost a parent in IDF service celebrated their bnei mitzvah (bar and bat mitzvah) at the Western Wall on Monday, in a moving ceremony organized by the IDF Widows and Orphans Organization (IDFWO).
The group reflected Israel’s social mosaic, including Jewish, Muslim, and Druze families. Each child marked the milestone according to their tradition.
Boys received tefillin and were called up to the Torah at the Western Wall, girls were presented with Shabbat candlesticks and held their own ceremony, and participants from minority communities visited their respective holy sites, IDFWO said.
The day began at the President’s Residence, where President Isaac Herzog and First Lady Michal Herzog welcomed the children. According to IDFWO, each child introduced themselves and briefly shared their story. When a Bedouin girl apologized for her Hebrew, the president responded in Arabic and thanked her family for their service and sacrifice.
Organizers said this year’s ceremony felt different, with many participants bereaved in the wake of the post-October 7 War of Revival. Since October 7, 2023, 885 children have been left without a parent and 352 partners have lost a spouse, IDFWO reported, noting that the toll exceeds the total of the preceding two decades.
“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,” said Shlomo Nahumson, CEO of the IDF Widows and Orphans Organization. “These families paid the ultimate price for our freedom and deserve to have the best possible celebration as they become young adults.”
Following a tour of the newly installed Western Wall Heritage Foundation center and a festive lunch in the Western Wall Tunnels, the children danced down to the plaza for the religious ceremonies. The day concluded with a celebration at the Museum of Tolerance in Jerusalem.
Similar bar mitzvah trip to US, including attending baseball game, broadway show
This summer, IDFWO also hosted a bar mitzvah trip for the group in the United States, including a New York Mets baseball game at Citi Field, a performance of The Lion King on Broadway, and time at JCC Camp Chi in Wisconsin.
IDFWO is the only organization endorsed by the State of Israel to support families of fallen IDF soldiers. The nonprofit provides emotional support, financial assistance, educational opportunities, and community programming for widows, widowers, and orphans.