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What if it is me? What if I wasn’t born in New York City, but in Neil’s Wizard of Oz? Not in 2002, but in 2022?
From the first time I saw photos of Ariel and Kfir Bibas, I couldn’t help but imagine them being my brother and me. Not only because of our red hair: we are far apart, but we practice the same Judaism.
The barbaric and scale of October 7, 2023 was so huge that many stories of the day were not reported in mainstream media. Kibbutz Nir Oz’s American-Israeli Siman Tov family were all murdered in their own bedrooms. Ages range from 2 to 35 years old, they were burned to death alive.
Shiri Bibas and her children, Shiri Bibas, Kfir Bibas, Ariel Bibas. (Pretty: Hostage Family Forum)
Their neighbor, Bibas family, was regarded as hostage. Parents Yarden and Shiri, as well as Ariel, who was only 4 years old and KFIR, 10 months old, were taken hostage. Unknown yet when their kidnappers killed Shiri and her two sons, Israeli authorities determined that the boy was strangled. Yarden stays energetic, hungry, beaten and psychologically tormented under Gaza for more than 500 days. He returned to Israel as part of the hostage exchanges with Israel.
During his imprisonment, there was a glimmer of hope that Yarden Bibas’s wife and two children would one day go home. Despite knowing the Shem Tov family and countless other stories that prove Hamas barbarity, they may feel like they have the chance to grow up like me.
It’s not just our hair that makes me feel connected – as more photos emerge, I realize there’s more in common. We all dress up as Batman. We have the same stuffed animals. We smiled and laughed. So I’ve always wanted to know, If it was me?
Will Hamas still kidnap me and murder my classmates? Will they also burn my house and raid my preschool class? Will they rape my teacher and destroy the world? Will Hamas still torture my family and put my fate on my father’s head? Will they cruelly strangle my unprepared brother with their naked hands? Will the Palestinians cheer and whistle when Hamas is in a sickly celebration?
Bibas family, starting from left: Yarden, Ariel, Shiri and Kfir (Ofri Bibas Levy)
Are my classmates at Pennsylvania still shouting “Resistance makes sense”, “Al Qasam makes us proud”, and Arabic from the river to the sea, Palestine will be Arab! “Will they set up a camp to shout “You next” and “Hamas should do it again” when Jewish students projected shots of the Holocaust? Will they lead the PFLP flag and pictures of Abu Obeida – Hamas official spokesperson? Will so many of my non-Jewish friends remain silent?
Will my university professors still use my face to remove posters? Will they still celebrate October 7 – tweeted: “When we fall asleep, Palestine reinvents a new way of life” and parades with posters of “Victory Palestinian Resistance”? Professors defend Hamas during the debate and do mental gymnastics to bring Academic and Reasonable Defend Hamas?
Yes, they will. Hamas and their global supporters will do the exact same thing to my family and me if given the opportunity.
Now, I can’t see my own photos of them, and I can’t see their photos. Nor should you.
This is not unique to me. Hamas kidnapped people of all ages, from all walks of life, from all walks of life, and from all ethnic groups and religions. Kfir is the youngest, while shlomo Mantzur is the oldest hostage at 86 years old. It was recently discovered that Mantzur was also murdered on October 7, with only his body being kidnapped as hostage. Hamas carried out terrorist attacks on farmers, peace advocates, software engineers and journalists. On October 7, they followed people who could be mastered by anyone – Jews, Arabs, Muslims, Bedotau and Christians. Hostages from people of 25 nationalities were taken hostages – including U.S. citizens who are still being taken hostages. Visit the Map Holocaust Project to find details about the October 7 victims. I promise you will find a lot of heartbreaking stories that have a lot in common with you.
Next time you hear a street chant, you see posters of people tearing off hostages, or you see people trying to intimidate Jews – imagine you and your immediate family.
If you wait for a while to educate your friends, here it comes. If you wait for a while to support Israel, then here. If you wait for a while to summon Hamas’s barbarism, against anti-Semitism or speak out loud, that’s now.
This article is adapted from a speech by Noah Rubin at Ariel, Kfir and Shiri Bibas and Oded Lifshitz at the University of Pennsylvania Hillel.
