January 1, Young Israeli Heroes Find Healing in America After Unthinkable Loss

Wyatt’s Take

• Twenty-eight Israeli children who lost parents serving their country just experienced America—and found a connection to the Jewish community many Americans are forgetting exists.
• These kids aren’t just orphans; they’re living proof of what real sacrifice looks like while our own leaders abandon Israel and coddle terror sympathizers.
• One boy held hostage for 51 days in Gaza is now touring Broadway—a reminder that freedom and resilience still matter, even when the left tries to erase it.

Twenty-eight children from across Israel who lost a parent killed while serving in the country’s security forces just wrapped up a three-week journey to North America. They came as part of the IDF Widows & Orphans Organization’s annual Bar/Bat Mitzvah program—a trip designed to give them pride, connection, and a taste of life beyond the weight they carry every day.

The journey started earlier this month in Chicago, where the children spent a weekend with host families. Then they headed to Camp Chi in Wisconsin for nearly a week of activities with American kids. After that, it was on to New York City—Times Square, The Lion King on Broadway, and stops in New Jersey. For many, it was their first visit to the United States.

“Everything is planned very carefully. The Lion King, for instance, is more than a Broadway show for them. It’s the story of an orphan who is able to honor his father’s memory and move forward because of the support of his friends. Nothing about this trip is accidental. It is deliberately designed to give them as powerful and meaningful an experience as possible,”

Daniel Elbaum, executive director of the IDF Widows & Orphans Organization, told reporters.

With the United States home to the world’s largest Jewish population outside Israel, the trip gave these children a chance to meet people from diverse backgrounds and levels of religious observance. For many, it was their first time traveling internationally on their own—a rite of passage that reflects their entry into the covenant with the Jewish people in a tangible and meaningful way.

Although the trip wasn’t designed as an initiative to combat antisemitism, Elbaum said fostering a strong Jewish identity, pride in Israel, and solidarity with its people are among the most important ways to help American Jews confront the world’s oldest hatred. And in today’s climate—where college campuses erupt in anti-Israel rage and the media downplays terror—that pride matters more than ever.

“As much as I think we are doing something important for these Israeli children, whose families have paid the highest price for Israel, what we are doing for the American children is almost as important in giving them a sense of pride and connection they might not otherwise experience,”

he added.

Founded in 1991, the IDF Widows & Orphans Organization supports more than 18,000 widows, widowers, and orphans through assistance programs, rehabilitation, advocacy, and legislative efforts. Since the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023 massacre and the ensuing war, 359 widows and widowers—including 48 pregnant widows—and 910 new orphans have joined Israel’s circle of bereavement.

Among this year’s participants was 11½-year-old Tal Goldstein-Almog from Kibbutz Kfar Aza. He was taken hostage to Gaza with his mother and two siblings on Oct. 7 and held for 51 days. His father, Nadav, and sister Yam, an IDF soldier, were murdered during the attack.

Tal didn’t tell the other children he had been held captive until one evening, when he felt ready to share his experience.

“It’s not hard to tell people, but it’s not easy either. Once you’ve said it, you don’t know how others will react or treat you. That night, it felt safe to open up, and nothing has changed in the way they treat me since,”

he said.

The trip was Tal’s first extended journey without his family. He learned about the program from a friend from the kibbutz who also participated.

“Now that I came, I think I will continue taking part in these things after meeting new kids, feeling comfortable around them and understanding that we experienced the same things,”

he said.

Tal said that since Oct. 7, the connections in his life have helped him maintain a sense of normalcy.

“My motto is that life is always going to continue. It feels refreshing to come to a new country and experience fun things here.”

Shadan Knefiss first participated in the program as an IDF orphan and has since returned as a counselor, supporting the next generation of bereaved children. A member of Israel’s Druze community, she also joined the delegation to help translate for participants whose first language is Arabic.

“I met a lot of people here who don’t know about the Druze. We serve the country, we love our country, and we even die for it. We pay the same price as everyone else. Most terrorists in Israel are Arab, but because we speak Arabic and serve our country, it’s a bit of a twist,”

she said.

Shadan became an orphan at the age of three. Her father, a Border Police officer stationed in Jerusalem, transferred to northern Israel after her brother was born with a serious skin condition so he could be closer to the family. He was killed in a car accident during his first shift there.

“This program helped me in so many ways throughout my life. The people around me have not all lost their father, so sometimes I can’t relate to them. Sometimes I want to share how I feel, but they don’t understand. This program made me feel comfortable talking about things I can’t discuss with people in my everyday life,”

she said.

Noor, 13, was one of three participants whom Shadan helped during the trip. His father, Yosef Saleh, served in the IDF before joining the Israel Police, where he was killed in the line of duty in 2013.

“My message to other children like us is to go on trips, meet new kids and make new friends,”

Noor said.

Wyatt Matters

These kids lost everything defending a nation under constant attack—and they’re still standing tall. Meanwhile, too many Americans take freedom for granted and forget who our real allies are. Israel fights for survival every day, and these children represent the best of what courage and sacrifice look like. We owe it to them—and to ourselves—to never forget that.