Nearly three years after the 7 October attacks, Elia Cohen and Ziv Avod are preparing for their wedding with a poignant tribute to a fallen soldier. Moshe Shapira, the father of Enar Shapira, who died heroically defending his comrades during the initial Hamas assault, will write the ketubah—the Jewish marriage contract—for the couple.

Enar Shapira was killed whilst protecting others during the brutal fighting at Kibbutz Re’im on 7 October 2023, when Palestinian militants launched a coordinated assault across southern Israel that resulted in over 1,200 deaths. His acts of bravery ensured that many of his fellow kibbutz members survived the onslaught.

The decision to have Moshe Shapira write the couple’s ketubah represents a meaningful way of honouring his son’s memory whilst celebrating the resilience and continuation of life among those who lived through the attacks. The ketubah is traditionally signed by two witnesses and serves as the legal and spiritual foundation of Jewish marriage.

For many Israelis affected by the 7 October tragedy, finding moments of joy and celebration has been a way of asserting hope and moving forward. The wedding of Cohen and Avod, alongside this tribute to Shapira’s sacrifice, embodies the determination to rebuild and celebrate life in the aftermath of loss.

Source: Maariv — Original article in Hebrew.