Tonight, (Monday, April 20, 2026), Israel's 2026 Memorial Day, the "Escape Bar" in Haifa took on a different face than usual.
The rooftop, which on other evenings hosts lively entertainment, was chosen this time to host a charged and moving communion evening in memory of Sergeant Tomer Keren, late, a fighter in the 51st Battalion of the Golani Brigade. Tomer was killed in September 2024 by an anti-tank missile on the Ramim Ridge (Manara Ridge) in the Naftali Mountains. An event was held at the initiative of his mother, Sandra Alon, who works tirelessly to commemorate his memory and legacy, and filled the venue with a large crowd who came to hear about Tomer's character and pay tribute to someone who meant the world to so many. This is the first time since he fell that Sandra has told about him to those close to her and not to a foreign audience, which greatly raised the level of emotion.
A meeting of life circles
The evening brought together various circles that made up the stations of Tomer's life: comrades in arms from the 51st Golani Battalion, schoolmates fromH. City High School Coming straight from the annual memorial service at school, his friends from"Tsofit" tribe of the Boy Scout movement where he grew up, and the family and close friends who accompanied him through his childhood and youth. On the central screen, photos and videos were projected, showing the captivating smile that had become his trademark, while his mother recounted the stages of his life and the person he was.
Tomer fell when he was only 19 years old, but as someone who did not know Tomer, looking at the dozens of people who filled the place, it was personally clear to me that his influence and personal weight far exceeded his short years. Tomer's loss seemed like a "multidimensional loss": a beloved child, a charismatic teenager and an exemplary soldier who had not yet taken the company commanders' course, was marked by his commanders as a commanding figure and was admired by his comrades in the field. This evening, the feeling was evident that the country had lost a significant and valuable person, with promising potential.
"You were everything to me": Brother Ben says goodbye
One of the most moving moments of the evening was the words of son, Tomer's brother. Ben shared the deep longing for his brother, who was also a close friend, and described a personal loss that changed the face of the family from end to end. His words, along with the words of their mother, connected everyone present to the private pain that became the common property of the Haifa community that evening.
One story distilled the deep meaning of the evening: A man who did not know Tomer or his family came to the bar. He said that he had gotten married the very day that Tomer fell, and his wife is now six months pregnant. He felt the need to come and hear about the warrior who gave his life that day, so that he himself could start a family. For him, and for many in the audience, the figure of Tomer Keren became a tangible reminder that the ability to live, be happy, and build a home is not taken for granted, but is made possible by the grace of those who sacrificed their lives for the common good.
Living memory
The evening at the Escape Bar proved that precisely in this direct encounter, memory becomes tangible and touching. The late Tomer Keren will continue to be remembered as a proud Golan fighter, but first and foremost as a young man from Haifa who loved life and his friends. His legacy will continue to accompany his family, his friends in high school and the scouts, and everyone who was privileged to know him on this special evening.
