Many people are hurting right now. Some lost loved ones. Some don’t know where their loved ones are, or even if they are alive. Some lost their health and their ability to function as they once did. Some lost their homes, at least temporarily. There are those whose worlds have been altered so much that their lives have become unrecognizable. It never ceases to amaze me how some people can use their suffering as a springboard to bring good into the world.
In November 2015, Rabbi Yaakov Litman, 40, and his son Netanel, 18, residents of Kiryat Arba, were shot by Palestinian terrorists outside of Otniel, while on their way to celebrate the aufruf of Ariel Biegel, their future son/brother-in-law. The wedding had been scheduled to take place the following week. Instead of standing under the chupah and dancing at her wedding, the kallah, Sarah Techiya, sat shiv’ah for her father and brother. But the young couple wasn’t broken by this unexpected challenge. They decided to use their situation as an opportunity to unite the people of Israel. Already during the shiv’ah, they decided to get married the following week. They invited all of am Yisrael to attend their wedding.
People from all over the country and all walks of life, I included, attended the wedding at Binyanei HaUmah. I watched as HaRabbanit Yemimah Mizrachi wished the kallah a mazal tov. Everyone listened as Avraham Fried sang “Tachzik Chazak” (“Be Strong”) for the couple. The venue was not big enough to hold the multitudes that came to be m’samei’ach the chasan and kallah. With the chasan high up on the shoulders of a guest, the crowd worked its way outdoors to where there was more room to dance. Sarah Techiya and Ariel became everyone’s family. They brought am Yisrael together to celebrate a true simchah.
In June 2014, Eyal Yifrach (19), Gilad Shaar (16), and Naftali Fraenkel (16) were kidnapped by Palestinian terrorists while hitchhiking on their way home from school in Gush Etzion. The IDF immediately initiated Operation Brother’s Keeper. Forces searched for 18 days until they tragically found the bodies of the boys in a shallow grave near the town of Halhul. Jews all over the country and all over the world davened intensely during those emotionally laden days. I was one of tens of thousands who attended the horrific joint l’vayah. In my mind, I can still hear the tearful singing of slow songs.
Six months later, the Women in Green established the Oz v’Gaon Forest Preserve in their memory. Oz v’Gaon means Strength and Pride. In Hebrew, the word “gaon” contains the letters gimmel, alef, and nun, standing for Gilad, Eyal, and Naftali. Oz v’Gaon, which overlooks Tzomet Gush Etzion, is an educational and recreational tourist site. Visitors can enjoy a coffee shop, a picnic area, camping grounds, a playground, a wading pool, a shul, a beis midrash, a soccer field, and an event hall. They can attend shiurim and lectures and participate in workshops. Many groups come to volunteer to develop the site. A coffee corner provides coffee and treats to security personnel. The Ari Fuld lookout, named for an American-Israeli citizen stabbed at Tzomet Gush Etzion, provides a panoramic view of the settlements between Chevron and Yerushalayim.
A family bris milah is what recently brought me to the site. As I walked around, I was struck by the sense of serenity in the air, so different from the tension that filled the air during those difficult weeks when the boys were missing. I noticed a memorial for Ezra Schwartz, a gap year student who was killed in November 2015 when riding on a road in Gush Etzion on his way to volunteer at Oz v’Gaon. In the face of tragedy, a place where people can grow, learn, and enjoy was created.
Sergeant Binyamin Meir Airley, 21, of the Paratroopers Brigade’s 101st Battalion and resident of Ramat Beit Shemesh, was killed fighting Hamas terrorists in the northern Gaza Strip on November 18, 2023. His parents decided to channel their pain into something that would be helpful to others while perpetuating Binyamin’s memory. They established Beit Binyamin, a retreat and recovery center in Tzfat for combat soldiers, bereaved and displaced families, and anyone suffering from the traumatic effects of the war, where they can relax and rejuvenate – physically, spiritually, and emotionally. The center offers food and professional programming against the soothing backdrop of Tzfat’s beautiful views. Jews of all types are welcome at the center, just as Binyamin was welcoming of all types of Jews.
We wish that none of these tragedies would occur. But, if they must happen, at least they can serve as a catalyst for something positive. We hope to soon reach a time when there will be no more pain, tragedy, or heartbreak.
Please continue to daven for the recovery of the wounded, the release of the rest of the hostages, and the safe return of all the chayalim and security forces.
Suzie Steinberg, (nee Schapiro), CSW, is a native of Kew Gardens Hills and resident of Ramat Beit Shemesh who publishes articles regularly in various newspapers and magazines about life in general, and about life in Israel in particular. Her recently published children’s book titled Hashem is Always With Me can be purchased in local Judaica stores as well as online. Suzie can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and would love to hear from you.
