Aharon* was a typical Southern Israeli pre-teen boy. He played with his friends, did his best in school, and didn’t think much about war. Then October 7th came and turned his world upside down.
Fleeing for their lives, as terrorists murdered their friends and neighbors, his parents grabbed their children, got into the car, and prayed for survival.
They made it further North. They were not killed, they are safe. But that is as far as they can say.
Aharon’s parents work simple jobs, not possible to continue in the current situation. They are staying in an empty house, without proper mattresses, sheets, clothing, or groceries. And amid all the confusion and pain, little Aharon can’t help but wonder: What will be with his Bar Mitzvah?
Aharon’s bar mitzvah is coming up shortly and organization Ahavat Chinam are determined to give him a happy day. That means a party like those his classmates have, with his friends, a luxury that his parents could never afford. After all of the fear and death he has seen, it would be a spark of light in the darkness.
*Details changed to protect the family’s privacy