Today, on Yom HaZikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day, our entire nation bows its head in mourning — and at Migdal Ohr, that pain is deeply personal.

Across all of our schools and youth villages, our children are paying tribute to the alumni and heroes who gave their lives so that we could live in a secure and hopeful Israel. These are not abstract figures — they are our former students, mentors, brothers, and friends. Their absence is felt every day.

Each memorial ceremony at Migdal Ohr is lovingly prepared by the children themselves. Through moving songs, heartfelt speeches, and meaningful performances, they honor the fallen and open their hearts to the bereaved families from nearby towns who come to remember with us. In doing so, our students learn not only about the cost of freedom, but about the importance of gratitude, unity, and empathy.

Our children — these brave, kind, and thoughtful young souls — are our greatest hope. Their love for one another, their ability to come together in mourning and in meaning, are the very values that will shape a future of peace and strength in Israel.

Today, we especially embrace our dear friends, the Wiener-Rosenfeld families, who are mourning Hadar z”l, Itay z”l, and Yahav z”l — three bright lights whose lives were stolen on October 7th, alongside thousands of others in one of the darkest days in our nation’s history. We hug them, we cry with them, and we promise them: your loved ones are not forgotten. Their sacrifice was not in vain.

To Rabbi Grossman, each alumnus who fell is like a son. Their memory lives on not only in stories and photos, but in the very spirit of Migdal Ohr — in the determination to build, to protect, and to love with full hearts, even after great pain.

May their memories forever be a blessing. May their families find comfort. And may the light of their lives continue to guide us.
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