Tamar Biton was in the kitchen when an explosion rocked her home in the central Israeli city of Beit Shemesh, shattering windows and collapsing the ceiling. She made her way to a window and saw fire and destruction everywhere. “I couldn’t find my kids, but I was sure they would be able to rescue them from underneath the rubble,” she said.
Three of her four children were killed in the attack: Yaakov, who was about to celebrate his 17th birthday that evening; Avigail, 15; and Sarah, 13. They were among nine people killed when an Iranian missile strike demolished a synagogue and homes in Beit Shemesh. Israel’s rescue services said 65 people were hospitalised, including two seriously wounded.
The attack was the deadliest on Israel since the war began on Saturday with US and Israeli strikes on Iran. At least 1,230 people have been killed in Iran and more than 100 in Lebanon. In Israel, 11 people have died. The conflict has affected an additional 14 countries across the Middle East and beyond.
Tamar and her husband Yitzhak, along with their surviving daughter Rachel, 4, are observing the Jewish week of mourning in a Jerusalem hotel. During the funeral at the Mount of Olives cemetery, Tamar remembered her children: Yaakov as a natural-born leader and orator, Avigail as smart and sensitive, and Sarah as a whirlwind of activity. Yitzhak had taught a class that morning; his son and his best friend, Gavriel Ravach, 16, were both killed. Other families also lost multiple members, including volunteer paramedic Ronit Elimelech and her mother Sara. Penina Cohen lost her husband and mother-in-law; her son buried them instead of celebrating his bar mitzvah.
When alarms blared, the children went toward the shelter under the synagogue. Yaakov was found inside, but it is unclear whether Avigail and Sarah made it in time. Yitzhak gave a DNA sample and later said: “They sanctified God’s name with their life, and also after their death, they continue sanctifying his name.” Tamar said faith sustains her: “Faith isn’t built in a day. Faith is a gift from God, and faith is what gives you the ability to stand.”
