On a tragic Saturday, a day that will be remembered for its heartbreak, the elderly, vulnerable and defenseless, were brutally murdered. This was the 7th of October, a date marked by the onset of a war with a horrendous terror attack by Hamas. On this fateful day, a group of retirees from Ofakim and Netivot were innocently traveling to the Dead Sea, seeking nothing more than a peaceful holiday. Little did they know, their journey would end in tragedy before it even really began.

As they passed through Sderot, a simple flat tire brought their bus to a halt. In those moments, as they tried to fix the tire, air raid sirens shattered the calm. Frantically, they attempted to find shelter, but for some, age and frailty made it a struggle. To their horror, the nearby shelter wouldn’t open. And in that vulnerable moment, a white van arrived. Out of it came terrorists who heartlessly opened fire on them, taking innocent lives in a senseless act of violence. Among those whose lives were callously taken was Zinaida, along with 12 others, leaving a void that can never be filled.