The Haifa Congress Center hosted the event this evening (Sunday, October 4, 2026). "Paths of Light".
The "Paths of Light" memorial event was held at the Haifa Congress Center this evening (Sunday, October 4, 2026), marking three years since the events of the October Seven and the Iron Swords War. Many residents and bereaved families gathered in the hall, alongside Mayor Yona Yahav, who addressed the heavy price paid by the city and the need for a united stand.
At the entrance to the hall, a picture of the late Inbar Heyman "PINK", the Haifa graffiti artist who was murdered in Hamas captivity, was displayed. The beating heart of the evening was rooted in the connection between music and the processing of public mourning. A series of first-rate artists appeared on stage, including Avraham Tal, Amir Dadon, Dikla, Yardena Arazi and Nono, accompanied by the Yuval Music Center and the municipal youth band.
A highlight was recorded when the survivor of the captivity, observer Agam Berger, who served at the Nahal Oz outpost and was released after a long and difficult period in Hamas captivity, took the stage at the beginning of the event and played the violin. Her playing served as tangible evidence of the strength of the spirit and human resilience.
The depth of the rift was also illustrated by the words of Tzipora Hayut, the mother of the late Matan Hayut, who took the stage to talk about her son and shared the family's private pain, whose lives changed beyond recognition after his fall.
During the evening, a video was screened in memory of Sergeant Tomer Keren, the late, a Golan fighter from Haifa who fell in battle in the north. The film incorporated the words of his mother, Sandra Alon, who spoke simply about her son, his character, and the daily attempt to commemorate him in every possible way and to find meaning in the void that had opened up.
Events of this type emphasize that remembrance is not just a symbolic ceremony but an active tool for building community resilience. In the complex Israeli reality, culture allows society to mourn together, process the unimaginable reality, and draw mutual strength. Haifa chose tonight not to stand by, but to illuminate the paths of remembrance through partnership, solidarity, and gratitude to those who sacrificed their lives.
