Father Reflects on Loss and Memory at Dizengoff Square Memorial

A father and his daughter visited Dizengoff Square in Tel Aviv, where photographs of those killed on October 7th and in the subsequent period are displayed around the fountain. The sheer number of images, featuring smiling young faces with names and dates, was overwhelming. The author described his ongoing struggle to comprehend the tragedy of "biblical proportions," noting that for his daughter, the date is personal, as two of her friends were murdered at a music festival.

He reflected on the ordinary moments preceding the attack, such as parents calling their children, making the event feel terrifyingly close to home for anyone with children. The author focused on the immense pain of parents who lost their children, imagining their desperate search for information and the devastating finality of their loss. He expressed gratitude for his daughter's presence, the ability to interact with her, and to embrace her, contrasting it with the photographs and memories left to others.

The author connected the current experience to the biblical commandment to "remember what Amalek did to you" and "do not forget." He stated that after October 7th, this phrase took on a visceral meaning, representing the faces in the square, his daughter's friends, and the parents who never heard back from their children. He anticipates that in the future, people will urge to move on, but stressed the importance of remembering the individuals who had names, homes, and loved ones.

Leaving the square with his daughter, the author was struck by the simple fact that he could leave with her, while others could not welcome their children home. He concluded with a sentiment of never forgetting and not forgiving the events of October 7th.