The families came quietly, unsure of what to expect. Their eyes widened in astonishment, seeing how many people they had never met had come together, just to say: You are not alone.
We were attending an unveiling ceremony for a memorial built to honor their children: Capt. Sahar Saudian, Sgt. Binyamin Gavriel Yonah, and Sgt. Nativ Kuzaro, killed by Hamas Nukhba terrorists on October 7th.
My friends—retired senior officers from Israel’s aerial defense unit—brought this memorial to life. They envisioned the project, commissioned the sculpture, created signs telling the soldiers’ story, and obtained the necessary permits. They prepared the land, placed benches, installed a water pipeline to the site, a drinking fountain, and set up a system to water the memorial trees. They made sure the logistics of the ceremony were taken care of—from seating to catering to a sound system. They mobilized the people of Kibbutz Re’im, coordinated with IDF representatives, got soldiers to help, and ensured that the current unit commanders would be there to honor the families.
They invested their time, effort, and money—not because it was their job, but because the young generation of the unit they once commanded deserves to be upheld: honoring the sacrifice of the fallen, providing an example for the living, and offering solace to the grieving.
Because Israel is built by individuals. And when there is a need, the right thing to do is to step up.
At the ceremony, Nofar stood representing the families.
Behind her, the memorial sculpture.
Further back, the spot where the invaders ambushed her brother Nativ and the other soldiers—now marked by young trees that will one day grow tall and strong, living reminders of lives stolen.
Further still, yet painfully close, we could hear the occasional explosions from Gaza—a harsh reminder that the war ignited that day is not yet over.
The invaders tried to destroy our people, or at least to kill our hope.
But I found hope here—in the ceremony, in the culmination of all the efforts that brought this memorial into being, in the unity that the IDF uniquely creates. Serving together in the same unit, with the same goal of protecting the Nation, bridges the gaps that otherwise divide our society. Religious differences, socio-economic backgrounds, political leanings—all disappeared, because we were united in a higher purpose.
The response to the gut-wrenching horror unleashed on these three families was the embrace of Israel’s extended family, recognizing their grief and offering the greatest strength we can give to the bereaved: a tangible, enduring reminder that they are not alone in their sorrow.
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Inspiration from Zion: This is a Love Story 
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