Author Recounts Deep Personal Connection to Hamas Victim Eden Yerushalmi
Translated & summarized from Maariv by baba
Natan Zahavi writes about his personal connection to Eden Yerushalmi, a waitress murdered in the October 7th Hamas attack. He describes her as a bright young woman with dreams of becoming a fashion designer and Pilates instructor, whom he knew from a Tel Aviv cafe. Zahavi recounts their interactions and the agonizing "tragic irony" of knowing her fate while her family waited for her return. He shares his premonition of her death and the devastating confirmation, recalling her last desperate phone call.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Author Natan Zahavi shares his personal memories of Eden Yerushalmi, a victim of the October 7th Hamas attack.
- Yerushalmi worked as a waitress at the "Henrietta" cafe in Tel Aviv and had aspirations to be a fashion designer.
- Zahavi gifted Yerushalmi his mother's sewing kit, supporting her dreams.
- He describes the family's agonizing wait for her return and his own premonition of her death.
- Yerushalmi was murdered during the Hamas attack, having made a final desperate phone call.
- She would have celebrated her 27th birthday on October 14th.
Author Natan Zahavi reflects on his profound connection with Eden Yerushalmi, a young woman murdered during the October 7th Hamas attack, who worked as a waitress at a Tel Aviv cafe. Zahavi describes Yerushalmi as a bright and efficient waitress with dreams of becoming a fashion designer for film and theater and a Pilates instructor. He recounts their interactions at the cafe "Henrietta" on Arlozorov and Henrietta Szold streets, where she impressed him with her ability to remember orders without writing them down and her engaging personality.
Their relationship deepened when Zahavi gifted Yerushalmi his late mother's sewing kit, encouraging her aspirations. He spent approximately two years with her, accumulating about 500 hours of material, which he describes not as drama but as glimpses into her life, including mundane activities and quiet moments. Zahavi expresses the agonizing "tragic irony" of knowing her fate while her family remained in a state of unknowing, waiting for her return.
He details the family's enduring hope, exemplified by their weekly ritual of bringing an extra set of clothes for Yerushalmi, just in case she reappeared. Zahavi also discusses the public's perception of Yerushalmi through posters and media, which he felt froze her into a single image, contrasting with his personal memories of her laughter and conversations. The film about her life revealed new facets of her personality, making him realize he knew only a part of her.
Zahavi shares the disturbing premonition he had the night before the news of her death, dreaming of her murder in a tunnel. He recounts the devastating confirmation of her death on October 7th, describing it as the first time he understood the meaning of "collapse." He recalls her last desperate phone call, "Find me, they're shooting at me... catch me," before the line went dead. Yerushalmi would have celebrated her 27th birthday on October 14th.
