Heroes for Education Soldiers – Iris Haim
On the morning of October 7th, we, the residents of the Gaza envelope, woke up to a day that was supposed to be filled with joy but turned into one of darkness.
That morning, my son, Yotam Chaim, a 28-year-old musician, was preparing to leave his home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza for a performance with his band, Perspore, in Tel Aviv.
He was excited, and even the rockets that began falling near his home in the kibbutz didn’t bother him. He was certain it would soon be over, and we’d be able to meet as planned.
We, Yotam’s parents, Iris and Raviv Chaim, were under attack that morning in Kibbutz Or HaNer and Moshav Sde Nitzan.
We were calm, believing that everything would end quickly. When Yotam informed us that there were terrorists in the kibbutz, we thought it was just one terrorist who would be killed within minutes by the local security team.
We couldn’t comprehend the magnitude of the horror, even when Yotam continued to update us that his house was burning and there were terrorists shooting at the door of his safe room.
What happened after is already known to everyone—hundreds of wild terrorists who came to slaughter, burn, kill, and kidnap, stormed every kibbutz in the area, attacking children, women, the elderly, and innocent civilians.
Yotam was kidnapped and survived heroically for 65 days in Hamas captivity before escaping. After five days of survival in Sajaiya with his fellow captives, he was tragically killed by our own forces but died a free man.
Pogroms of Kishinev, pogroms of 1929, Khmelnytsky, Safed… pogroms… pogroms…
The word pogrom is similar to the word Pharaoh.
The difference between all those pogroms and this current atrocity is that this time, we are fighting back.
This time, we—all of us—are fighting. There’s no single sector going to battle. We are all fighting—soldiers, reservists, men and women alike.
Fighting are the mothers of the soldiers, holding their families together at home with pride and dignity.
Fighting are the wives of the reservists, and fighting are the children who believe in the heroism of their fathers.
Fighting are the bereaved mothers, who continue to smile and laugh even with a gaping hole in their hearts, telling the stories of their children’s bravery, those who died sanctifying God’s name.
Fighting are the believers, praying for strength and victory through our strong spirit.
Everyone is giving their all.
The Simchat Torah pogrom is being met today with a clear and definitive response: You won’t defeat me so easily!
We are here to stay, even with our occasional arguments and trivialities.
This time, we proved to ourselves who we are, who the people of Israel are, and why it is so important that we continue to protect this home.
Iris Haim
Mother of Yotam Haim,
Of blessed memory.
