Grief and Criticism Mark Oct. 7 Remembrance Ceremony in Haifa
Translated & summarized from Israel Hayom by baba
A remembrance ceremony for victims of the October 7th massacre and fallen soldiers was held in Haifa, featuring speeches from bereaved family members and former Defense Minister Benny Gantz. Shlomo Sharaf, whose granddaughter was murdered on October 7th, criticized the state's failures and expressed disappointment with its governance. Gantz acknowledged the October 7th massacre as the state's greatest disaster and failure but emphasized societal unity and resilience. Six memorial torches were lit during the ceremony, honoring various victims of the attacks and the subsequent war.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Shlomo Sharaf, whose granddaughter was killed on Oct. 7, criticized Israel's governance at a Haifa remembrance ceremony.
- Former Defense Minister Benny Gantz called Oct. 7 the state's worst disaster and failure.
- Sharaf expressed disappointment with the state, stating, "This is not how I expected to end my life."
- Gantz emphasized that while Israel can be surprised, it cannot be defeated if united.
- Six memorial torches were lit to honor victims of the Oct. 7 massacre and the war.
- The ceremony was organized by the Yad Ezr LaChaver association.
A remembrance ceremony for victims of the October 7th massacre and fallen soldiers of the Swords of Iron War was held in Haifa on Wednesday. Shlomo Sharaf, whose granddaughter Mai Na'im was murdered at the Nova music festival on October 7th, delivered a poignant speech expressing his deep sorrow and frustration.
"This day is a difficult day, not just for me but for a large part of the nation. For me, Memorial Day is every day. Every night I wake up and think about what we have been through in this country," Sharaf stated. He sharply criticized the state, lamenting, "This is not how I expected to end my life. I wanted a corrected country, a country with sanity, a country that operates in a way that provides for its citizens, not a country that cares about its chairs." He questioned how such a tragedy could occur in Israel, a nation with a military and security forces, stating, "The disaster that happened here on October 7th happened in the State of Israel, in a country that has an army, police, and many security forces, which failed to protect."
Former Defense Minister Benny Gantz also spoke at the ceremony, calling October 7th the most severe disaster since the establishment of the state and its greatest failure. "We failed as a state and suffered the most painful blow, and we succeeded as a society. We succeeded because we chose to fight. We succeeded because we united. We succeeded because we embraced the families, the commanders who failed. And we will defeat our enemies only if we continue to do this together," Gantz asserted. He added, "We will remember October 7th, we will learn the security and national lessons, and above all, we will know that while we can be surprised together, we cannot be defeated together. If we are united not only in times of crisis but also at the national level, we can face all challenges and be worthy of the sacrifice of so many."
The ceremony featured the lighting of six memorial torches. Among those who lit torches were Olga Pertenko for her son Daniel, Chali Ganot for her son Dan, Shlomo Sharaf for his granddaughter Mai, reservist fighter Alex Giler for his brother Slava, Michal-Rachel Gabai for her daughter Shani, and Sandra Alon for her son Tomer Keren, who fell in operational activity on the Lebanese border on September 19, 2024. The event was initiated by the Yad Ezr LaChaver association and attended by bereaved families, survivors of the Holocaust and October 7th, soldiers, wounded veterans, and public representatives. The ceremony was hosted by Nadav Yaish.
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