Bereaved Israeli families celebrate a challenging Passover—together

While Jews around the world gathered around the Seder table to retell the story of the Exodus from Egypt, hundreds of families in Israel could not bear to face that table with the trauma of the empty chair.

As the Swords of Iron War passed the 18-month mark and 59 hostages remained in Gaza, 24 of whom are believed to be alive, the Passover story—from oppression to liberation—remains a distant dream for many dealing with the crushing grief and loss from terrorism and war.

To support these families during these difficult times, the Jerusalem-based OneFamily organization held an uplifting three-day Passover retreat at a hotel in Jerusalem.

More than 100 families gathered to observe the holiday, finding strength and solace in one another. Rabbi Yoav Oknin, a former chief rabbi of IDF Central Command, led the Seder on Friday night.

“Last year, it was clear I couldn’t sit at the table and the Passover Seder with OneFamily was the ultimate solution,” said Sarit Ohayon, who lost both her husband and son in battle in Ofakim on Oct. 7, 2023.

Ohayon’s two sons and husband went out to fight when Gaza terrorists infiltrated their city. During an exchange of gunfire, her husband, Moshe, and her son, Eliav, were killed. She learned about their heroic actions in defending the city a day later, thanks to neighbors who witnessed the battle and shared what they saw.

“Being with other bereaved families is comforting,” she said. “You feel like you’re not being judged, and we also had the opportunity to help others. It’s true that it’s not an ideal Seder, but in our reality, it’s truly a lifeline.”

OneFamily said it hosted the event “to strengthen families who have lost their loved ones and to transform the holiday, which can easily become a day of sorrow, into an evening of warmth, community and hope, alongside the pain and loss.”

With the help of psychologists and OneFamily professionals, the families participated in activities for children and teens, such as singing and dancing, designed to make the holiday easier and provide an opportunity to celebrate as a community and not forgo moments of joy.

Yasmin Abuksis’s eldest son, First Sergeant Evyatar Ohayon-Abuksis, a Golani soldier in the 51st Battalion, was killed on Oct. 7 at Kissufim on the final day of his military service, just before his scheduled discharge. “I’ve been religious for 27 years and very connected to the holidays, but since Evyatar was killed, it’s been incredibly hard. He was very dominant and, as the eldest, took on a meaningful role,” she said.

“For me, the Seder with OneFamily was a lifesaver,” she added. “Their events are always so well done—embracing, respectful, and dignified. For both the children and me, this organization is incredibly meaningful. The retreats, the support groups, the events—They are truly like family. Even my kids made friends and became part of a peer group. I don’t know how people go through something like this alone.”

Rebecca Henkin’s husband, IDF Major Avraham Henkin, a fighter in Israel’s National Counter-Terror Unit (YAMAM), fell while fighting in the south to save residents and IDF soldiers on Oct. 7. His widow, four children and parents attended the Passover weekend.

“Sharing the Passover Seder with families in a situation similar to ours was incredibly empowering and moving. My children felt free and comfortable with the other kids,” Henkin said. “My daughter said, ‘Because they know what we’ve been through and they understand.’”

She continued: “In previous years, being with family on Seder night was always important to us. And then… the disaster of Oct. 7 happened and for all kinds of reasons, we weren’t able to be together as a family. This year, we were able to be not only with families who have gone through something similar but also with our own family—my children’s grandparents and aunts.”

Reflecting on the special Seder this year in Jerusalem, Henkin said: “We laughed and cried, sang and prayed, and ate all together. And that was the most empowering and strengthening thing of all.”

‘It is a privilege to be here with you’

Natan Sharansky, the legendary former Soviet dissident who currently serves as chairman of the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy, walked to the hotel from his home in Jerusalem to support the Seder without desecrating the holiday.

After speaking about his efforts to remember the Hagaddah while in prison for nine years in the former Soviet Union, he spoke to the families on Sunday, asking them to consider the positive side of the situation in Israel today: “According to an annual study, we are one of the happiest nations in the world. Even during this war, with so much tragedy and death!”

He continued: “We have an increasing birth rate—even during war— which is unheard of. How do you explain this? We are a people who lives immersed in our history. We know that this history is still unfolding. 96% of Jewish Israelis participated in a Seder! How many of our fallen heroes wrote to their families that if they fell in battle, not to view their death as a tragedy? Many said that they were proud to be fighting for Israel and to be a part of our history.”

Addressing the bereaved families directly, he added, “Your fallen heroes are part of the continuation of the Passover story, of our history as a nation. It is a privilege to be here with you.”

Marc Belzberg, the chairman and founder of OneFamily, said:  “For bereaved families, the holidays become incredibly difficult days filled with longing and painful absence. At OneFamily, we believe in the power of a community of peers who uplift and strengthen each other.”

He added: “At this Seder, we are telling the story of those who paid the ultimate price, and we are strengthening those who remain to live on and continue their legacy. Our goal is to create a meaningful space where families feel belonging and togetherness. My wife Chantal and I feel deeply privileged to support these families and widows all year long, and we’re honored to be with them during the holiday and stand by them in the most difficult moments.”

For 24 years, OneFamily has been devoted to supporting families of terror victims and fallen soldiers. Since Oct. 7, 2023, it has been working tirelessly to reach every affected family and provide, in its words, “the broadest and warmest support possible, along with heartfelt care and love.”