When a Bomb Shelter Becomes a Living Memorial

Dear Friends,

In Israel, safety shelters are a fact of daily life. When the sirens sound, families have only seconds to reach them. These simple concrete structures stand between the innocent and the rockets that still fall. But through our safety shelters project, they have become something more than protection. They have become living memorials to precious souls taken from us.

As part of this project, we hold special dedication ceremonies for individuals who were murdered during the 7 October massacre. Before each ceremony, we invite an artist to paint beautiful murals on the shelter dedicated to that person’s memory. The murals often reflect the life they lived and the things they loved, so that every family who takes refuge inside is embraced by beauty, not only concrete.

One of these shelters tells a story we will never forget.

On 7 October, Eli Sharabi was taken hostage along with his brother Yossi. Through all his time in captivity, Eli did not know what had happened to his family. It was only when he was finally released that he learned the bitter news: his wife, Lianne, and his two daughters, Noyah and Yahel, had been murdered that day.

In their honour, your donations provided a bomb shelter that we dedicated to Lianne, Noyah, and Yahel this past January. The artist painted it with a field of poppies and butterflies. Where terror once reigned, there is now a place of refuge covered in life and colour, a testimony that love outlasts hatred.

In a land where sirens can sound at any moment, a safety shelter is one of the most practical gifts anyone can give. And when that shelter also bears the name and memory of a beloved soul, it becomes something more: protection for the living, honor for the fallen, and a witness that Israel does not stand alone.

And the work continues. This coming month, we are dedicating shelters in honour of Yaron Lishinsky, murdered in an antisemitic attack in Washington, DC; Roni Eshel, murdered on 7 October 2023; and Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir Bibas, who were taken hostage on 7 October and murdered by Hamas. Each shelter will carry their names. Each mural will carry their memory. And each one will protect the living for years to come.

As we approach Sukkot, we are reminded that God never forgets His people. Neither will we. In a season when Israel pauses to remember, you can help ensure that these beloved names are honoured, not only in words, but in walls that shelter the living.

Would you stand with us in this sacred work? Your gift helps provide safety shelters for communities under threat and dedicates them to the memory of those we have lost. To give today, please click HERE and dedicate your donation to the “Medical & Emergency” fund.

As we enter Yom Kippur, we wish you Gmar Hatima Tova.


With love and gratitude,
Barry & Batya