Mother of Fallen Soldier Becomes Advocate for Bereaved Families

A mother who lost her son, Sergeant First Class (Res.) Saadia Yaakov Deri, in Gaza on June 20, 2024, has channeled her personal grief into a public call for greater support for bereaved families. Deri, who worked for the "Sunflowers" organization supporting children who lost a parent, found her professional understanding of grief transformed into lived experience when her son was killed. Her son, who was 27, was a husband, father, student, and reservist who felt compelled to fight.

She now advocates for a comprehensive approach to supporting those affected by loss, emphasizing that the impact extends beyond immediate family to siblings and the broader family unit. Deri highlighted that in Israel, tens of thousands of children and young adults have lost a parent. Official figures presented to the Knesset indicate approximately 52,000 orphans under 21 and 18,000 widows and widowers. Since the start of the current war, over 1,200 orphans and around 300 widows and widowers have been added to this number.

Deri is running for the upcoming Knesset, urging political parties and candidates to commit to policies that provide long-term support for bereaved families. She stressed that with Israel heading into elections, these families must not be reduced to statistics. Her campaign aims to translate the national understanding of grief, gained through recent events, into concrete policies and support systems that acknowledge the entire family's needs, including siblings and those affected by civilian bereavement.