(haipo) The story of the late Dana Daniela Petrenko, a Haifa resident who was murdered at the Nova Festival, has become one of the symbols of the pain and heroism of the Iron Swords War. Alongside the unimaginable loss, stands her mother, Olga Forman, who waged a lengthy public and bureaucratic struggle to memorialize her daughter in the place she loved most, facing the waves of Dado Beach. This struggle, like other stories of bereaved families in Haifa and the surrounding area, reveals the tension between the human need to remember and the limitations of public space, and raises profound questions about the role of the authorities and the power of communities to lead a living and meaningful commemoration.
Love and heroism cut short by evil
The late Daniela Petrenko traveled to the Nova Festival in Ra'im on the weekend of October 6th with her partner of the past two years, Daniel Goltman. Daniela was an outstanding athlete in taekwondo, with impressive achievements in the local and international arena, and was even certified as an international referee. Alongside her sports career, she planned to begin academic studies in financial management. Her friends describe her as a hardworking, independent young woman, full of joy for life and with a deep connection to her mother and younger siblings.
When the barrage of rockets and the terrorist attack on the party complex began, Daniela and Daniel tried to escape along with hundreds of other young people. Survivors who were with them said that at one point Daniela froze in terror and was unable to continue running. Daniel refused to leave her. He stayed by her side, hugged her and protected her with his body in a small bar in the complex. There, in moments of unimaginable fear, they were both murdered together. Their story became one of the symbols of courage and love of that terrible day.
Olga's struggle: Three years of bureaucracy and pain
Since that day, Daniela's mother has set herself one goal: to memorialize her daughter in the place where she felt most alive, in front of the sea on Dado Beach. Olga remembered that years before the disaster, she had seen a memorial bench on the beach, and asked to erect a special heart-shaped bench for Daniela. But this simple and humane request turned into an exhausting bureaucratic journey with the Haifa Municipality.
For nearly three years, Olga waged a stubborn fight. The municipality referred her to the Haifa Foundation, where she received a payment demand of 60 shekels for the design, production, and installation of the bench. Olga couldn't believe the high sum, but she wasn't ready to give up either. She launched a public fight, turned to the media, and every time it seemed like the fight was making progress, new difficulties emerged. Even when a private donor was found who agreed to build the bench himself, the municipality did not approve the move.
Finally, after realizing that there was no other way, Olga launched a crowdfunding campaign. The Haifa public, along with people from all over the country, rallied to the cause and managed to raise the full amount. The struggle became a symbol of determination and a motherly love that knows no bounds.
Victory of the Heart: The bench was erected facing the sea
This week, after the involvement of Deputy Mayor Yossi Shalom and after years of tears, struggles and bureaucracy, the long-awaited bench was finally erected on Dado Beach. Olga received the official announcement of the bench's placement with immense excitement, mixed with deep pain. The heart-shaped bench now stands in front of the Haifa sea, telling every passerby the story of Daniela, of the love that was cut off, of Daniel's heroism, and of one mother who never stopped fighting for the memory of her daughter.
The human need to remember in the face of the living public space
The Iron Sword War left deep wounds in Haifa, as in the entire country. Many bereaved families and residents seek to commemorate their loved ones in public spaces, in gardens, on promenades, on beaches, and in the neighborhoods where they grew up. For them, commemoration is not just a moral obligation, but an existential spiritual need. They want to create a living, daily, and accessible connection with the memory of the fallen, to weave the stories of heroism and loss into the landscapes of their childhood.
Commemoration in public spaces is seen as a way to ensure that the space left by the fallen remains an integral part of urban life. It allows residents to encounter memory naturally, not only in official ceremonies but also in small, everyday moments, walking on the beach, sitting on a bench, crossing a familiar path.
The Limits of Memory: The Urban Dilemma
On the other hand, local authorities, including the Haifa Municipality, are faced with a complex dilemma. On the one hand, there is a deep commitment to honor the memory of the fallen and support the bereaved families. On the other hand, there is a professional perception that the city cannot become "one big memorial site." Policymakers seek to maintain the public space as a lively, optimistic, and inviting place for all residents.
This tension often gives rise to difficult bureaucratic struggles. Bereaved families experience municipal policy as opaque, while the municipality tries to prevent a situation in which memorial sites take over the character of the public space. This dilemma is not unique to Haifa, and it reflects the complexity of a society dealing with great loss and seeking to maintain essential routines.
Choosing Life: The Lugar Family Continues Asif's Melody
Another model of commemoration, full of life and hope, comes from Adi and Idan Lugar, residents of Kibbutz Yagur. Their son, Sergeant Assif Lugar, 21, served as a gunner in the Armored Corps and was killed in the northern Gaza Strip. Assif was a talented musician, a nature lover, and a youth at-risk instructor during his year of service. His parents decided that death would not extinguish the light he brought into the world.
They founded the "Dov Kotb in the Desert" association, a nickname that Asif gave himself and even tattooed on his arm. The association promotes educational and community projects in the spirit of the values that Asif led: music, nature, giving, and human connection.
"Café Asif": Commemoration through human encounter
To finance the organization's activities, the family set up the "Café Asif" coffee cart at the entrance to Kibbutz Yagur, near the Israel Trail. The place is operated entirely by volunteers, and all proceeds go to the organization. The coffee cart has become a community meeting point, where people come to drink coffee, chat, get to know each other, and connect with Asif's story. "Café Asif" proves that it is possible to create a living, accessible, and meaningful memory, one that connects people and continues the path of the fallen.
The Hero of the Destruction of the Charges: The Story of Benny Asulin
The story of Maj. Gen. (res.) Benjamin Assulin, 28, who died in Nafpolu, is one of the most moving and moving stories to emerge from Haifa during the war. My son, a native of the city, grew up in Haifa and was a person full of joy, creativity, and giving. He worked as a respected high-tech man, was a talented musician, and was known among his friends as a man who lit up every room he entered. His family says that he was a devoted son, a loving brother, and a loyal friend.
In July 2025, during a long period of reserve duty in the Northern Brigade of the Gaza Division, his force was caught up in an IED scene in Beit Hanoun. Benny acted with extraordinary courage under heavy fire to save his fellow fighters from the risk of kidnapping. He fell in battle, and his death left a huge void in the hearts of his family, friends, and everyone who knew him.
The place where it all began: My son's kindergarten
After his fall, his family and close friends decided to establish a special memorial corner for him in the Cowders Garden in Carmel Tzarfati in Haifa, the place where he spent his childhood. It is a small, quiet garden, full of trees and paths, where my son played as a child, rode his bike, met friends and created memories that became an integral part of his life story.
The family wanted to create a unique artistic element that would tell their son's story, reflect the values he led, and allow residents to encounter his memory in a natural way. They approached the municipality with a request to erect the corner, but quickly realized that the path to commemoration was not simple.
Crowdfunding as an alternative to the establishment
Like other families, the Assulin family also encountered bureaucratic and budgetary limitations. They understood that in order to establish the memorial corner, they could not rely on municipal budgets or institutional solutions. Instead of waiting for approvals that could be delayed for months, they decided to take the fate of the memorial into their own hands.
The family and friends have launched a crowdfunding campaign, telling Benny’s story and the desire to commemorate him in the place where he grew up. The goal is to raise 300,000 shekels to establish the planned memorial corner in Cowders Park. So far, only about 10,000 shekels have been raised, which is about 3% of the required amount. The family emphasizes that without the full amount raised, it will not be possible to establish the artistic element and the memorial space planned for Benny, and that public support is essential to ensure that the project can come to fruition and give him the place he deserves in the city where he grew up.
A commemoration that connects past and present
The planned memorial corner in Cowders Garden is not just a memorial site. It is intended to be a meeting place, a vantage point, and a path that leads from my son’s childhood to his legacy. The planned artistic element will combine his love of music, his spirit of giving, and the courage he displayed in battle. The family seeks to create a place where children can play, adults can sit and rest, and residents can pause for a moment and remember.
The choice to memorialize my son in his childhood garden emphasizes the desire to connect memory with life itself. It is a model of commemoration that seeks not only to tell about the past, but also to influence the present and create a space that invites people to feel, think, and connect.
May her memory be blessed, along with all our brothers and sisters of the Israelites who perished in the 7/10 massacre by Palestinian terrorists.