Israeli Children of Fallen Security Forces Members Build Bonds During North American Delegation

A delegation of 28 young people from Israel whose parents were killed while serving in the country’s security forces recently completed a three-week tour of North America, participating in the IDF Widows & Orphans Organization’s annual Bar and Bat Mitzvah program. The group traveled through multiple cities including Chicago, Wisconsin, New York and New Jersey, with many experiencing international travel for the first time.

The itinerary included weekend placements with host families in Chicago, a week-long camp experience with American peers in Wisconsin, and cultural outings in New York City such as Broadway’s “The Lion King” production and visits to Times Square. Daniel Elbaum, executive director of the IDF Widows & Orphans Organization, emphasized that every component of the journey carried symbolic meaning designed to foster healing and connection among the participants.

Elbaum told Fox News Digital that the theatrical performance served a deeper purpose beyond entertainment, representing the story of a young person honoring a parent’s memory while drawing strength from friends. He stressed that the program’s intentional design aims to provide participants with transformative experiences that reinforce their identity within the Jewish diaspora.

The organization, founded in 1991, supports more than 18,000 widows, widowers and orphans through various programs and advocacy efforts. Since the October 7, 2023 attack and subsequent conflict, the organization reports that 359 new widows and widowers—including 48 pregnant women—and 910 new orphans have joined its constituency.

Among the trip’s participants was 11½-year-old Tal Goldstein-Almog from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, who along with his mother and two siblings was taken hostage to Gaza on October 7 and held for 51 days. His father, Nadav, and sister Yam, an IDF soldier, were killed during the initial attack.

Tal revealed his experiences to fellow delegation members during the trip after determining the group felt like a safe environment. He described his initial hesitation about disclosure and the relief he felt when his peers’ treatment of him remained unchanged following his revelation about his captivity.

Shadan Knefiss, a member of Israel’s Druze community, returned to the program as a counselor after previously attending as an orphan participant. She served as a translator for Arabic-speaking delegation members and discussed her own experience losing her father, a Border Police officer, at age three following a car accident during his first shift in northern Israel.

Knefiss told Fox News Digital that the program provided her with a unique community where she could openly discuss grief with others who shared similar losses. She emphasized that her non-bereaved peers often struggled to understand her emotional experiences, making the organization’s support invaluable throughout her life.

Thirteen-year-old Noor, whom Knefiss mentored during the delegation, described the trip as his first visit to the United States. His father, Yosef Saleh, transitioned from IDF service to the Israel Police, where he was killed in the line of duty in 2013.

Elbaum noted that while the initiative was not explicitly designed to counter antisemitism, fostering strong Jewish identity and pride in Israel serves as an effective tool for American Jews to address historical prejudice. He underscored that the program’s benefits extend equally to American Jewish youth, who gain a strengthened sense of belonging and connection through their interaction with Israeli peers.