In the early hours of October 7th, as terror descended upon Kibbutz Kfar Aza, Hadar Berdichesky stepped out of her safe room, thinking there were just rockets, to change her 10-month-old twins’ diapers. In those horrific moments, she and her husband Itai demonstrated the ultimate parental sacrifice. Hadar was killed in the kitchen. Itai, an IDF officer who understood what was happening, closed the safe room door to protect the twins, but terrorists shot through it and killed him as well.
The twins survived 13 hours alone in that room. Today, they are thriving in an extraordinary new chapter of family love, thanks to their aunt and uncle, who stepped forward to raise them. Ofir and Tom Alon, now parents to five boys under seven, work hard to provide the stable, nurturing home these children deserve.
“In the safe room on the night of October 7, I saw her, like a vision,” Ofir shares about her sister Hadar. “She told me that she wanted me to take them.” Even while sheltering during the attack, Ofir felt her sister’s presence guiding her toward this life-changing decision.
The transition from three children to five happened virtually overnight. The Alons’ three biological sons embraced their new brothers immediately. As Tom explains, when someone asked his eldest how many brothers there are in the family, “He said, ‘five,’ just in a second. It was quicker than us to adapt to this new reality.”
But the challenges are immense. Ofir had to leave her job at Amdocs, as Tom explains, because “now she’s running an actual kindergarten.” Beyond the daily logistics of raising five young boys, the family faces mounting expenses while Tom works as a software engineer at General Motors as the sole provider. They are also displaced from their home in Kfar Aza, living in temporary housing as they rebuild their lives.
“We try to solve everything, one step at a time,” Tom explains. “It’s a long path, and we’re in it.” The needs, he says, “are endless. Whether it’s treatments, education, equipment for the house, vehicles… every time, we encounter another obstacle.”
The twins, now approaching their second birthday, know both their present and past. To them, there is “Daddy Tom and Daddy Itai, Mommy Ofir and Mommy Hadar.” The Alons keep pictures of Hadar and Itai present, honoring their memory while building a new future.
This Giving Tuesday, we have an opportunity to stand with this remarkable family. While nothing can replace what these children have lost, we can ensure they have every resource needed to thrive.
Your donation helps provide everything from basic necessities, such as food, clothing, and diapers, to therapeutic support, allowing the Alons to focus on their most important task: nurturing five young boys with the love and stability they deserve.
The Alons have opened their hearts and home without hesitation. Now they need our help to continue this journey. Each and every donation helps secure these children’s future and honors the memory of parents who made the ultimate sacrifice for their babies’ lives.
As Tom says, they are focused on “growing from the crisis… to build something new and focus on a better future.” Let’s help them build that future together.
