Paris Park Path Named for Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir Bibas

A path in Paris's Parc Monceau was unveiled Tuesday to commemorate Shiri Bibas and her two young sons, Ariel and Kfir, who were murdered while held captive by Hamas. The initiative was led by the Jewish organization Women for Peace in Paris, headed by Sandra Yifrah, in cooperation with Yonatan Arfi, president of the CRIF organization. This dedication follows a more than two-year effort by the organizations to have the Bibas family memorialized in a public space in the French capital. "We promised the family we would do our best to ensure this happened in Paris, and for two years we fought to keep that promise," Yifrah stated. She explained that the location was chosen specifically because children and families frequent the park daily, aiming to integrate the memory into everyday life. "From now on, there will be a part of this park that is a memory. The children and families walking here will ask: 'Who was Shiri? Who was Ariel? Who was Kfir?' And thus, we will never forget them," she added. Yifrah also highlighted the dedication as a significant public message for the Jewish community in France, which faces a complex atmosphere. "This is a very important step, especially in the current climate, to tell Israel's story and show that the Jewish people are alive and exist," she said, urging other European Jewish communities to pursue similar initiatives. Despite initial opposition from some in the Paris municipality who requested similar gestures for Palestinian children killed, Yifrah affirmed, "We were not deterred by this, and this is just the beginning." The ceremony was attended by Yossi Schneider, Shiri's cousin, along with Paris arrondissement official Catherine Lecuyer and Emmanuel Grégoire. Grégoire addressed the fight against antisemitism, stating, "In our republic, it is unacceptable for a person to feel threatened because of their religion, origin, or skin color." He further explained the choice to honor the Bibas family in the heart of Paris, saying the children's images remind us of "all the children of the world, innocent faces that remind us to look at our own children and hug them tight." Schneider emphasized the family's desire for remembrance beyond the images that became symbols after October 7th. "Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir were full of life. They are not just pictures of the massacre victims. Behind each of them is a whole world," he said, adding that the future daily life around the memorial will best preserve their memory.