The community of Kibbutz Kfar Aza gathered today (Sunday) for a fourth candle lighting event under the name "A great light illuminates everything" on the lawn of Kibbutz Shefayim Hall, where they are hosts.
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Chen Goldstein-Almog and her 17-year-old daughter Agam, residents of Kfar Gaza, who were abducted on Black Saturday and returned to Israel after 51 days in Hamas captivity, spoke at the event. Two other of Chen's children, Gal and Tal, were also kidnapped, and all four were recently returned to Israel. Nadav, Chen's husband and father of the family, and her eldest daughter Yam, were murdered by Hamas terrorists.
"A great light illuminates everything." The fourth candle of Hanukkah of the Kfar Gaza community, in Shfayim, photo: Gideon Markowitz
Nitzan Goldstein, Nadav's sister, who was murdered on Black Saturday: "Great sadness over the death of my brother and niece, and happy that my sister-in-law and nephews have returned to us. We received our miracle before Chanukah. But we must not forget that there are still abductees left in Gaza and that they are in existential danger. My sister-in-law and nephews told of existential fear. They heard everything and felt everything. The place where they were staying was shaking from the bombs. They really feared for their lives during the 51 days they were there, because of the IDF shelling." She stressed: "When they moved from place to place, they saw the ruins. They were there in subpar conditions. Every minute that the abductees are there endangers their lives."
"We are in a scenario that is far from logical reality, Gaza village is home." Lighting the Hanukkah candle of the Kfar Gaza community, photo: Gideon Markowitz
Agam Goldstein said in tears, with her mother Chen by her side: "Dear community of ours, we still do not quite believe that we are here. Since this Shabbat, we are in a scenario that is far from logical reality. Gaza Village is home. I hope everyone here has at least one shirt with this inscription. The concept of home has changed recently, a home that serves as a safe place for us. Gaza Village will always feel at home for us."
In the shirts "Bringing them home now", photo: Gideon Markowitz
"We are amazed by the organization here in Shefayim and the strength in our community. You are the ones who saved us. It will take us a long time to understand what happened when we were gone. We want to say a huge thank you for bringing us back, for succeeding in the midst of grief and pain to save us. We lost many dear people. We will always remember them all. We will do everything so that the abductees will return. There is no other option. Thank you dear people, you are our home forever."
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